Normal or Something Like It
by Rinny2
Summary: ---COMPLETE--- after The Killer in Me. New SIT with the most potential who has a link to Spike, WO BS AC Old beloved characters return
1. Operation Giles

~~~~All hail Joss and ME. Ya'll know the drill. I own none of the characters blah blah blah. ANYWAY. On with the story! Oh, and PLEASE R&R!!!!!!~~~~  
  
  
  
It seemed so unorthodox. He lay there on the table with no IV or heart monitor hooked up to him. Buffy stared at the sleeping Spike as the officer cut into his skull to retrieve the malfunctioning chip. She didn't want to watch, but for some reason she couldn't tear her eyes away.  
  
The operation, if that's what you would call a procedure of a vampire, reminded her of her mother. She had spent a lot of time thinking about her mom and what she would've said about all the things that have gone on in Sunnydale since she returned from heaven. Before she could get another thought in she was smacked out of her daze by a moan coming from the bleach blonde.  
  
It's over already? She thought. What is he going to say when he knows the chip is out?  
  
Buffy slowly made her way over to Spike as he began to regain consciousness.  
  
When she was staring directly over him, he opened his eyes slightly and smiled meekly. "Well that was a pretty bad one." he said referring to the "attacks" he had had with the chip. He then reached up to touch his head and felt the bandage. "What the," he said as he turned his head and saw the small Initiative army that was surrounding the premises.  
  
"There was a problem with your chip Spike. It was malfunctioning. If something wasn't done it would've killed you." Buffy explained softly  
  
"Oh so I've got a new piece of meta' in me now eh?" Spike replied with a relived sound in his voice.  
  
"No Spike, I had them remove it."  
  
I'm 'earing things I have ta be. She'd never get that out. Then Spike looked up at the woman he loved and saw the look on her face. She trusted him. After all this time she finally trusted him.  
  
  
  
**Meanwhile at the Retreat**  
  
"Giles, I just want you to know that this is all Xander's fault" Anya said glancing briefly in her ex fiancés direction.  
  
"MY fault? How is it MY fault. You're the one that brought it up that no one has touched Giles. And really shouldn't all your demon days have given you some kind of detector of things that go bump in the night?" Xander exploded  
  
"Yeah you should have your spider sense. The tingly's. Or or like the daredevil where you're blind but you can still 'see' things" Andrew as usual quoting his nerdism from comic books.  
  
"Shut up!" Both Xander and Anya said to him in unison.  
  
"Oh all of you shut your traps. Really it's quite all right. It's good to know you're on your guard." Giles then looks at the group briefly and gets a questioning look on his face. "Where's Buffy?" 


	2. Take It Slow

~~~~All hail Joss and ME. Ya'll know the drill. I own none of the characters blah blah blah. ANYWAY. On with the story! Oh, and PLEASE R&R!!!!!!~~~~  
  
NOTE: * represent flashbacks and ** are scene changes.  
  
"You feeling any better?" Buffy asked Spike as she brought in a hot mug of blood.  
  
"Yea luv, I'm getting there. Still can't believe you had 'em take the chip out" he smiled and took a sip of the blood.  
  
"I trust you." Buffy whispered. Unfortunately for her, he had the enhanced hearing.  
  
"What did you say?" he said as he layed his cup down and sat up looking into her eyes.  
  
"I trust you Spike." Buffy said louder.  
  
Spike cracked a smile. He knew she did but he wanted to hear her say it.  
  
"'Cor Buffy I love you." He said not even realizing what was coming out of his mouth.  
  
She stared at him. He hadn't told her he loved her since he got back. Her head was screaming at her to say it back but she couldn't not now, maybe not ever. All she could draw out of herself was a confirmation. "I know" She smiled at him and for the first time since he had come back, she let herself embrace him. Like she had wanted to do when she saw him in the basement. Like she had wanted to do when she saw him hugging the cross, and when she had finally rescued him from the first.  
  
Spike paused at her touch, but let himself enjoy the moment, knowing that he probably wouldn't feel it again. He closed his eyes and was about to tell her that he loved her again when the door to the Summers house flew open and the voices of retreat crashers were heard. He wanted for her to pull away when she heard them but she didn't.  
  
Buffy stayed embraced in Spikes arms, completely aware of the people that had just walked into the room. She didn't want to let go but she knew she had to. As she drew away from him she saw the looks of Dawn, Anya and the disgusted one of Xander.  
  
Andrew oddly enough stood there smiling. She heard him mumbling and then turn to Dawn and say "I always thought they should be together but." before he could get the rest of his sentence out, Dawn elbowed him in the stomach in which just got a response of "Ow"  
  
"Okay let me put this simply. Yuck." Xander said and almost caused Buffy to laugh. She expected more from him.  
  
"Looks like the sexcapades are gonna be starting again. Not that I have any objections. My sister and my best friend." Dawn smiled and giggled at the looks that came across Buffy and Spike's faces.  
  
The four then quickly exited the room without Buffy even telling them that there were no "sexcapades".  
  
"Buffy," Spike began to say but Buffy put her hand up.  
  
"No Spike please, let me say something okay. When we had our, relationship, or whatever it is classified as, I was unstable. You were the only one that made me feel alive, and I know we've been over this. But not all of it. If I was just in it for the sex don't you think I would've just picked a random guy instead of you? It wasn't just the sex Spike. I had feelings for you. I still do. I did before I died, but everything was so confusing and Mom died and everything with Dawn. "  
  
Buffy took a deep breath. Just tell him you dumb ass. Say the words. It's not going to kill you.  
  
"What I really mean to say is I lied."  
  
Spike looked at her questionably. "You lied, you didn't have feelings for me?"  
  
"No I did have feelings for you. I lied. I lied when I told you that I didn't love you." Spike stood there speechless at the words that Buffy had just spoken.  
  
"I loved you Spike." Buffy took a deep breath for what was about to come next. "I still love you. William, I'm in love with you."  
  
Spike remembered the last time she had called him William. *I'm using you, and it's killing me. Goodbye, William.*  
  
Buffy waited for the response that seemed like it would never come. But the response came alright. Spike reached for Buffy's hand and held it. He looked deeply into her eyes and leaned forward lightly brushing her lips with his.  
  
"I want to be with you Spike. No lies, no hiding, I want the gang to know. But we need to take this slow. That is, if you still want to be with me." She gazed at him with eyes that looked like they would spill oceans if he said anything but.  
  
"You know I want to be with you." Spike pulled Buffy in for a kiss that seemed to be going in slow motion. It was like a movie where everything around them was black and it was just them. All the movieness ended when a loud 'AHEM' pulled the two apart.  
  
"As much as I'd love to talk about what I just walked in on, we have a situation. Another potential has been detected. in L.A." Giles looked at the two knowing what was going through both of their minds. They knew who could help them locate the girl, but they didn't want to even think about it.  
  
After the room was silent for what seemed like an eternity, Spike spoke up, showing a glimpse of his old self. "Oh bloody hell watcher don't tell me we have to go converse with peaches."  
  
Buffy smiled at her new boyfriend? Yes boyfriend. She couldn't stop herself when she started to laugh. "Did I tell you in the last 5 minutes that I'm in love with you?" She said to him. The response however came from the third person in the room. "Dear God can I please be blind again?" Giles said speaking to the ceiling as he walked out of the room. 


	3. Old Friends

~~~~All hail Joss and ME. Ya'll know the drill. I own none of the characters blah blah blah. ANYWAY. On with the story! Oh, and PLEASE R&R!!!!!!~~~~  
  
The witch opened one eye slowly and glanced at her surroundings. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kennedy napping on a nearby chair. She cracked a smile briefly until the memories of the passed days came flooding back. * I could have killed her * Willow thought remembering purchasing the gun. That Goddamn Warren. Even in death he was no good. She had heard the door to the house being closed earlier, followed by Giles scream to be blind again. Not too long after the patter of what seemed like a thousand girls feet was echoing through the halls.  
  
Kennedy woke with a start at the loud voices of the SITs. Moaning she then noticed Willow was awake.  
  
"It's amazing how quite it was without them." She said smiling at the red head.  
  
"It seems like they just left. Is it wrong for me to want them to go away again?" The two chuckled  
  
A knock sounded at the door and Kennedy quickly jumped up to answer.  
  
"Buffy hey." Kennedy said to the blonde as she walked into the room.  
  
"Will, we have a situation." She said quickly looking at the direction of her friend.  
  
"End of the world situation or a SIT situation?" Willow replied with a look of concern coming across her face.  
  
"SIT. New one. And you'll never guess where she is." Willow nodded her head at Buffy understanding what the slayer had meant. She quickly sat up, put her shoes on and grabbed Kennedy's hand pulling her along as she followed Buffy out of the room.  
  
"Where are we going?" Kennedy protested.  
  
"L.A." Willow said quietly.  
  
Cordelia walked around the counter of the Hyperion carrying a mug of coffee in one hand, and a report on their new big bad in the other. She sat down rubbing her temples at the lack of sleep. Angel sat in his office with the door open, and obviously just as frustrated. Gunn and Fred were researching in cryptic texts, Gunn writing down the translation as the genius gave them. Wesley was researching on the computer breaking in to as many government sites as possible. Lorne was out in the demon world trying to scrape up whatever information was available without getting himself completely maimed. Everyone was working diligently on the current problem. Everyone except for Connor, who was in the middle of the lobby perfecting his fighting technique. Angel looked up everyone once in a while and smiled at his son.  
  
Cordelia huffed and was just about to go find another book to go through when she heard voices coming from directly outside.  
  
"Now this is what WE need. Enough rooms and bathrooms I bet." Came a girls voice as the doors swung open.  
  
The Angel Investigations crew looked up at who was entering, or the gang that was entering.  
  
Angel came out of his office and was just about to ask who they were and how he could help them when he heard a familiar voice. "Bloody hell! How much money is the poofter making that he can afford this?" Angel would know that voice anywhere. The anger started to build up in him and he hadn't even noticed that his vampire façade had come forth.  
  
A brunette with short hair entered with a read head by her side. The brunette saw Angel and quickly jumped him, making sure he wouldn't attack her companion.  
  
Before anything could break out Buffy, Spike, and the rest of the Scoobys along with the SITS, Andrew, and Giles entered the hotel.  
  
"Kennedy what the hell are you doing?" Buffy shouted.  
  
"He's a." Buffy cut off Kennedy short.  
  
"A Friend." Buffy finished  
  
About 2 seconds later Buffy was in a huge Angel hug and glaring eyes were all on them  
  
After Buffy and the Scoobs had filled the AI gang in on their current situation and why they were there, the SITs began to ask questions and comment on everything.  
  
"So this is the first vampire you dated?" Chloe asked  
  
"No I'm the onl." Angel began and then looked at Dru's childe.  
  
  
  
I know I left you hanging and I apologize but I just felt that this was a good ending for this chapter. I'll try to update daily, because I know how frustrating it gets when you're reading a story and you have to wait 3 weeks for the next chapter. I'm sorry the chapters a so short. Are they too short? Any comments, suggestions? Review please. Please don't completely bash me, it's the first fic I've actually posted for people to read. The new SIT is coming up and no Buffy and Spike are going to be happily ever after. Like all relationships, there are obstacles. Hehe.  
  
Oh and another note, the SIT will not be Connor, however I do have something in mind for him. 


	4. Explanations and Close Calls

Angel glared at the bleach blonde. "You. Touched. Buffy! I'm going to rip your throat out!" Angel growled lunging at Spike, but Buffy was too quick she grabbed one of Angel's arms and threw him against the nearby wall.  
  
"So much for having a peaceful day." Buffy mumbled.  
  
"We'll technically they didn't date, they just had wild animal sex." Anya corrected Angel  
  
"Tact much Anya?" Dawn said as she walked over to stand next to her sister.  
  
"You WHAT?! I left you so you could have another life not so you could fuck another vampire!!" Angel's eyes flashed yellow as he spoke.  
  
"That was your choice you dumb ass! She didn't ask you to leave!" Everyone turned towards the usually quiet redhead as she defended Buffy. "She cried over you for so many hours with me. Do you know what that's like? To have one of your best friends so upset and all you can do is be there for them? Do you even know what a friend is?" Tears started streaming down her face. Her outcry wasn't all about Buffy, it was her semi way of thanking her friends for helping her through the awful times she'd been having recovering.  
  
Xander walked over to Willow and put his arm around her leaning in and giving her a light kiss on her head.  
  
After waiting for Willow's crying to diminish to a minimal whimper Buffy walked up and stood in front of Angel. "I was in heaven."  
  
"Huh?" Angel stared at his ex trying to figure out what in the world she was talking about.  
  
"I was in Heaven when they brought me back. You have no idea how it was for me. Sure you came back from hell but this is different. There wasn't torment, I was happy. Try coming back from being happy and living in this world. Spike was there for me. Being with him was the only time I really felt alive. But I used him." Buffy took a breath and tried not to let the tears spill. "I beat him to a bloody pulp, I told him he was a monster, and then we had sex. Simple as that."  
  
"Just because you didn't know what was going on gives you no excuse to be with with THAT!" Angel said pointing at Spike  
  
"I'm not finished damn it!" Buffy looked like she was seconds away from punching him.  
  
"I broke it off, whatever it was. I realized that it wasn't helping me and I was hurting someone who loved me." Buffy turned and looked at Spike, wondering if she should go on to the pivotal part of last year that made him leave for Africa. Spike simply nodded his head at Buffy to continue.  
  
"So then after Xander left Anya at the alter, Spike and Anya got drunk and had sex, and I saw it. The nerds, " motioning towards Andrew "had set up spy cams and we broke into their main connecter and saw the videos. That just happened to be the one that was on. It killed me inside. I hadn't felt that bad since. . . since I saw you walking away at the end of graduation. Xander ran to the Magic Box to kill Spike, I followed him to save Spike. Spike saw how hurt I was and thought I wanted to be back with him. He came to my house and into the bathroom when I was getting ready to take a bath. He tried to rape me." Angel's vampire façade came as she said the word rape and brought his arm back to punch Spike. "BUT," Buffy said grabbing Angel's arm, "I stopped him."  
  
"Oh you stopped him so that makes it all better." Angel growled  
  
"Look peaches, I felt bad bought it then. Funny 'n it? Considering I didn't have a soul. I felt so bad I went to Africa. And I won myself a soul. Didn't get it as a curse. And I didn't become a bloody hair gel wearing bat mobile driving poof like you did." Spike finished Buffy's explanation making it faster that it was going.  
  
"Yea right you can't win a soul! What kind of fool do you take me for?!" Angel couldn't help but laugh.  
  
Buffy pulled her arm back and delivered Angel and hard right hook in the jaw.  
  
"What the hell Buffy!" He screamed  
  
"Don't ever laugh at the man that I'm in love with again." Buffy screamed. "This conversation is over. And if anyone makes one more remark, ANYONE about Spike or whatever it is we have, I'll stake you. And if you're not a vampire, I'll break a few bones. Now anyone up for messing with a pissed off slayer?" Buffy looked around at everyone. "I didn't think so." Buffy smiled and looked towards the group, "So shall we get to work?"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
After the whole uproar that had echoed through the halls of the Hyperion a half hour ago, everyone seemed to be getting along. Dawn and Cordelia were talking about clothing while they were researching which Buffy just laughed about. Guess Dawn was their Cordy replacement.  
  
"Willow how's that locater spell going?" Giles asked walking over to the Wiccan.  
  
"Almost found her!" Willow replied.  
  
"Wesley," said Buffy as she walked over to him with Giles in tow. "I think, while I'm here in L.A. we need to break someone out of jail."  
  
Before Wesley or Giles could say anything a shout came from the redhead on the other side of the room. "Found her!"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Buffy and Xander walked through the neighborhood of the nearby Suburbia of L.A., making their way towards the high school. Everyone else had stayed back to research more on the First Evil, and to watch and train the SITs.  
  
"So this is where ol' Buff used to live." Xander said sticking up a conversation.  
  
Buffy laughed "Oh yes. Buffy Summers this is your life." She said as the looked up as they approached her old high school.  
  
"Ya know if people actually knew what slayers were this school could feel proud Ya know hey we had two slayers here like schools get when they have sports hero's from there."  
  
"Yes Xander I can just see them putting my picture and a plaque on the wall saying, Buffy Summers, she may have burned down our gym but hey she's a slayer."  
  
Xander laughed and then had a thought. "Uh Buff how are you supposed to know which one is the new potential? Do we even know her name?"  
  
Buffy shrugged "Yes, we have her name. It's Erin. She'll probably be the one that least likely looks like a slayer." She laughed remembering how she used to dress before she became the slayer.  
  
School was obviously over and music from cars was booming around the parking lot. A car near the courtyard was blasting "Cry Me A River" as the owner was sitting on the hood talking to her friends.  
  
Buffy looked at the brunette sitting on the hood, cocked her head to the side and turned to Xander. "The girl on the car, see her?" Xander nodded "That's her."  
  
Buffy and Xander walked over to the girl as her friends started to leave. The girl put sunglasses on and headed around to the drivers side of the car. Just as she was about to get in when she saw the two walking up.  
  
"Erin?" Buffy questioned  
  
"Whatever it is I didn't do it." She responded  
  
"We don't have much time." Buffy said somehow channeling the words she had heard the time she found out she was the slayer.  
  
"Huh?" Erin said looking at Buffy as if she had two heads.  
  
"This is hard to explain. You're potentially the only one who can stop them." Buffy replied cracking a smile.  
  
"Stop who?" the teenager asked.  
  
"The vampires, demons and forces of darkness." Xander told her trying to keep in his laughter at handbook saying.  
  
Erin looked around at the surroundings and then glared at them. "Okay so is this where you say 'Smile you're on candid camera.' ?"  
  
Buffy was about to respond when she saw 2 bringers coming down the sidewalk.  
  
"Xander quick!" Buffy yelled grabbing Erin and putting her in the back of the car as she snatched the keys and threw them to Xander. Buffy jumped in the back next to Erin as Xander sped off with the teenager screaming in the back.  
  
"What the hell is going on here!" Yelled the new potential  
  
"Those are bringers, you're a potential slayer, I'm the real slayer, and those things were going to kill you." Buffy replied as she stared out the back window and saw the bringers get smaller and smaller as the car pulled away. 


	5. Fresh Meat

~*~Two Chapters up in one day.I'm just the best right?!?!l ol Ya know the drill I don't own this stuff blah blah blah. Please Review!!!!!~*~  
  
The SITs sat around talking, a few of the gawking at Connor as if they've never seen a teenage boy before. Dawn rolled her eyes when she heard them whispering to each other about which one of them he would like the best as he exited the room with Cordelia. She walked over and sat next across from Angel, figuring she should start researching too.  
  
"Angel? What was the first like with you?" Dawn asked thinking they should compare between his meeting and Spike's meeting with it.  
  
"It was. . . uh evil?" Angel replied in which the two laughed at.  
  
A bang of the door got everyone's attention as Buffy walked in with Xander and presumably the new potential in tow.  
  
"Everyone, this is Erin." Buffy said motioning toward the girl. "She's the new potential."  
  
Erin seemed more relaxed as Buffy and Xander had explained everything to her on the ride to the hotel.  
  
Dawn was the first to get up and walk over to the new girl. "Hi I'm Dawn. I'm Buffy's sister. And this is everyone. You've met Buffy and Xander. That's Spike oh and that's Angel. They're both vampires but they're good, they have souls." Angel smiled and Spike gave a nod in the girls direction. "Umm that's Willow, Fred, and Kennedy who is a potential too. The clump of girls over there is the rest of the SITs." Dawn said motioning over at the group as Erin smiled lightly at the girls who had obviously formed a clique of some sort with each other. "That's Anya and Gunn over behind the stacks of books, and the two stuffy English guys over there are Wesley and Giles. They're former watchers."  
  
Erin looked overwhelmed with all the people and had three more name to learn as Cordelia, Connor, and Lorne came through a set of doors carrying snacks for the group. Cordelia saw the teenager and figured it was the new girl.  
  
"Hi!" Cordy said "I'm Cordelia, this is Lorne, he's a good demon, and this is Connor, Angel's son."  
  
"Wait peaches has a son? I thought he was just a member of the Investigation crew." Spike exclaimed  
  
"And you yelled at me." Buffy said glaring at Angel  
  
"Okay I'm confused how can a vampire have a kid," Erin turned to Buffy "You said they were dead!"  
  
"Oh they are. Connors mother was a vampire a big bad company brought back. Darla, you must remember her Spike." Lorne said as if it was no big deal.  
  
"Darla? You slept with Darla? She tried to kill my mother!" Buffy said and then noticing Dawn cringing remembering that Dawns memories told her that she was there too.  
  
"ANYWAY," Cordelia broke in, "Welcome."  
  
"An Irish name, now that's what I'm talking about." Angel said  
  
"Yea looks like Connor actually has something in common with someone other than his father." Lorne said randomly as Angel glared and looked at Connor seeing him smile at the new potential.  
  
"Lorne, when did you get back?" He asked trying to subject.  
  
"A few minutes ago." Lorne replied walking over to the potentials tossing them the containers of bottled water he had brought.  
  
"Water?" The one potential exclaimed, "Whey can't we have some pop?"  
  
"It's called soda, and it has calories in it. You guys are supposed to be training." Dawn said matter o factly.  
  
"Would you like something hun? You looked like you've had a long trip." Lorne smiled at Erin  
  
"Water is fine. I'm on a diet." The brunette said getting stone hard glares from the soda wanted potentials.  
  
"Who does she think she is?" Chloe said to the others as Kennedy walked over to them.  
  
"Why don't you guys just I dunno shut up? Or didn't you ever learn that word?"  
  
"Well we should start training Erin." Buffy said trying to keep her from hearing the petty things the other girls were saying. "Spike you ready?" She asked before noticing he was sleeping on his research.  
  
"I can help." Connor said smiling  
  
"No that's okay Connor. Angel you up for it." The blonde questioned  
  
"No Buffy really Connor can help. He's strong." Angel replied  
  
"Yea he's like a human vampire without the teeth and the blood." Gunn replied.  
  
"Okay I guess. Angel can we use a room upstairs?" Buffy asked and Angel nodded. "Oh and send Spike up when he's done taking his bat nap." Laughing Buffy ascended up the stairs with Erin and Connor in tow.  
  
  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"She'll never really love you." The woman's voice said coming from the back of the pitch-black room.  
  
"Yes she does love me. I know she does." The peroxide blonde retorted.  
  
"We were so happy. You and me and Miss Edith." Drusilla said stepping out of the shadows. "What happened my Spikey?"  
  
"Things change luv. I 'ave all I need now." Spike responded  
  
"Oh but you don't. The stars are telling me things. They're whispering in my ear like teeny tiny fairies. And they're telling me. . . that she does love you and you, you're in love with a slayer. Daddy doesn't like that does he? You smell of her. It's all over you. She's seeping into you. Everything you were is being destroyed. Mommy is going to have to punish you. But the only way to get to you . . . ooo they speak to me. . . to get to you is through her!" Drusilla said walking towards Spike with an evil grin on her face.  
  
Before anything else could happen Spike awoke with a start screaming, until he realized his surroundings.  
  
"Spike, shh it's okay it was just a nightmare." Dawn said rubbing his back.  
  
"Did you dream about bunnies? That always gets me upset." Anya questioned as all eyes quickly went to her. 


	6. Training Riiight

~*~ My extreme apologies for not updating sooner, however my dsl was down so I was unable to update. If you're mad, yell at earthlink not me!!!! BTW since this has more Angel crossed over in it than I had planned the spoilers are everything up until before Apocalypse Nowish (Rain of Fire) therefore there was no Cordy and Connor disgusting funky monkey dance. Also regarding Connors age. I'm just going to stick with that he's 18 even though it has never really be said. if you know otherwise let me know. PLEASE REVIEW!~*~  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Spike looked around at the group of eyes that seemed to be glued to him. Without a split second of thought he dashed up the stairs and followed Buffy's scent until he found her.  
  
"Buffy!" he exclaimed taking an unneeded breath.  
  
"Spike, what's wrong? You looked like someone just stole you're favorite toy." Buffy replied  
  
"Something's." than realizing that Erin and Conner were in the room he pulled Buffy out into the hallway.  
  
"Something's going down. Not just this first thing. I had a dream and Dru was 'nit an' she said she was goin' to get back at me for fallin' in love with the slayer. Said she was goin' to get to me, through you."  
  
Buffy, seeing how nerved Spike looked grasp his hand and held it tight. "Spike, this is Drusilla we're talking about her. She's a crazy bitch."  
  
"Yea, well that crazy bitch has killed a slayer before luv you know that." He responded  
  
"Yea and you've killed two, giving you more experience, and you could never kill me." Buffy replied  
  
Spike simply smiled and pulled Buffy in for a kiss.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"What was that all about?" Erin asked looking at Connor who seemed to be admiring the sharpness of the axe blade staring at it as if it were a priceless piece of art.  
  
"Probably something about the thing we're fighting. Most likely didn't want to scare you."  
  
"Scare me? If I'm supposed to be some potential she-who-saves-the-world shouldn't they tell me what's going on? It's not like I can be sheltered forever." Erin responded taking extreme offense of possibly being scared by whatever it was the two were talking about.  
  
"Yea well you're new at this they don't want you." Erin interrupted Connor  
  
"To cry because I can't handle a vampire. And why are you giving me this lecture anyway it's not like you're older than me. Shouldn't they be sheltering you too?"  
  
"My parents are vampires, you really think I'm normal? I was a baby in this dimension 9 months ago and now I'm a 18 year-old who put their father in a cage and dumped him in a sea. I was raised in a different dimension and now you say I need to be sheltered?" The anger that showed in Angel's eyes when he was infuriated shown in Connors at that moment.  
  
"Oh so that fact that you're like, a human vampire and some great warrior because your father is Angel means you're stronger than me. I thought I was supposed to be the one with the powers, not the weird offspring of two blood sucking fiends." Erin saw the anger intensify in Connor and laughed.  
  
"Are you angry now? You running through your head all the different ways you can kill me? I took kickboxing at my fathers gym don't think I can't defend myself just cause I'm new at this."  
  
"You really want to fight me? You're making a big mistake." If it were possible to have a game face, Connors would be on at that moment, but the two were interrupted by laughing of spectators of their fight that were unknown to the two.  
  
Buffy and Spike stood at the doorway laughing. "It's the next us." Buffy said as she hugged Spike.  
  
"I'm sorry please continue." Buffy said barely getting a word at with all the laughter.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Angel got up from his desk and walked over to the pile of books that he had not been through yet, picking the one of the top and sitting back down. As he opened the book dust flew out and the smell of mothballs lingered through the air.  
  
Why is the first back? He thought It's not like anyone had died and been brou.  
  
Angel stopped himself in his thoughts. Buffy. She caused it. He flinched at the thought of Buffy being the reason the First was wrecking havoc but it fit. Buffy wasn't supposed to still be the slayer. Of course there was another slayer, but at the moment she was incarcerated.  
  
Laughter echoed from down the stairs as Spike and Buffy descended. Buffy deciding it was time walked over to Wesley.  
  
"Alright stuffy British boy lets go."  
  
"And where pray tell are we going?" He responded  
  
"To get your slayer, duh." Buffy said grabbing her coat and heading out the door with a reluctantly Wesley following.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Getting up from her bed, the brunette girl walked over to a wall which contained an exorbitant amount of slashed lines. She picked up the piece of stone she'd been using and marked another day. Each day she was in there she made another mark, deciding that after all the walls were full she would file for parole. She barely got visitors, so why should today be any different, although it had be awhile since Angel had stopped into see her.  
  
She heard a distant door open and the sound of a guards keys clicking. An officer stopped at her cell and unlocked it. "You've got some visitors Faith." He said bringing her into the nearby room.  
  
"Wesley." She said glaring at him. "I thought he said I had visitors with an s."  
  
"You do." Said a voice as the door opened again and in walked the other visitor.  
  
"B?"  
  
~*~I felt like this was a good place to stop for the day. What do you think? What are your thoughts about Connor and Erin. I thought it would be interesting, plus I liked the idea of the next generation of Buffy and Spike, although it won't really be like theirs because that would just be boring. I just want to thank all of you who reviewed. Thanks for your nice comments! I know that Giles and Anya found out that the First is back because of Buffy, however I felt that it would be good to back that up with research and Angel's intuition as well. Also I feel the need to mention that it is really hard to write all of those characters into the story and have them have major roles in something. So I give mad props to Joss and the crew!. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! 


	7. Unpleasant Music

Authors Note: Okay I read your reviews. number one I enjoy suspense at the end of chapters makes you want to read more so if you have a problem with where I ended the last chapter, I'm sorry but I thought it was a good ending for that chapter. Second, there will be no Connor Dawn pairing in this story because it just seems so blah to throw them together just because they are the youngest of the two gangs. Alright? Please review I do read them!!! And I am very sorry for the delay I've had a lot of work to do! Oh and there will also be so appearances from past characters in this story. Hehe..  
  
"Faith, don't you look skinny and pale. Guess jail is working out pretty well for you." Buffy said to the brunette  
  
"Yes and you're just completely fat B, look at you, you look like you've been dead for 3 months." Faith replied sarcastically  
  
"As a matter-of-fact, I was. But that's beyond why we are here."  
  
"Something's coming. Something big is going to swallow all of us whole. The first evil is here and is trying to kill all of the potential slayers so that when you and Buffy die, the slayer line is over. We have some of the girls, unfortunately some of them have already been killed." Wesley said thinking if there was anything left to be said  
  
"We don't know how to defeat it, and as long as the bringers are out, those girls are in danger. We need all the help we can get. They have me, but we need the other slayer. We need you faith. As much as I hate to admit it, we can't do this without you." Buffy said with the urgency in her tone becoming more evident by the syllable.  
  
"What can I do? I'm in jail B, serving my sentence." The rouge slayer responded.  
  
"Not for long. Come on you're coming with us." Buffy said grabbing Faiths arm.  
  
Faith pulled her arm back. "No Buffy I can't just break out."  
  
Wesley stared at his former slayer and simply responded. "You're not breaking out, we talked to the chief and explained that we had a family emergency. You're on early probation."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The 17 year-old brunette lay on 'her' bed in the Hyperion hotel room reading, or attempting to read. Her concentration on the story was broken many times by the music coming from the room next to her, and the attempted singing that some of the girls were doing. She groaned as one song ended and the other began.  
  
"What is this Country music day?" Erin mumbled to herself.  
  
She put her eyes back onto the words of The Bourne Identity, and attempted to get sucked back into the black text. It worked for a second until she heard another song coming from Country r Us.  
  
'Sweet home Alabama.  
  
Where the skies are so blue.'  
  
"That's it." Erin mumbled. Getting up and opening her door. "Will you turn down that damn music?!" She screamed down the hall.  
  
The door of the room popped open and a head of a SIT looked out. "It's not like you own this place." The girl screamed back.  
  
Erin huffed and went back into her room closing the door. She spotted her backpack, and pulled out her walkman. Placing the earphones on her head, she laid down and began reading again. She read quietly for a while before unconsciously she began to sing along with the music.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"So I'm thinking that maybe the First Evil being back has something to do with Spike's soul, I mean it came when Angel came back from hell in which he had already had is soul and ehh never mind that doesn't work." Lorne said to Connor as they walked down the hall.  
  
"Could be, or it could be connected to me. After all most of you look at me like I'm the spawn of the anti-Christ or something." The boy replied looking at the green demon.  
  
"Hey do you hear that?" The boy asked, obviously his vampire hearing working to his advantage.  
  
"Hear what?" Lorne asked  
  
"The singing. It's coming from down the hall." Connor replied walking towards the sound.  
  
"Hurry I can read whoever it is, maybe it'll help us."  
  
The town went towards the voice as it ricocheted off the walls of the hallway.  
  
They stopped at the door to Erin's room.  
  
"Baby you're all that I want  
  
When you're lying here in my arms  
  
I'm finding it hard to believe  
  
We're in heaven."  
  
Connor smiled at her singing. She sings way better than anyone around here he thought. Turning his head he looked up at Lorne who unlike him had a look of utter and complete horror on his face.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"So you and Buffy are a couple now huh." Angel said to Spike trying to break the icy tension that had been there since his grand childe had arrived.  
  
"No, don't start this." Spike replied glaring at the vampire  
  
"Start what?"  
  
"This where you ask me a question and it bloody well ends up in my having something broken or dismembered." The bleach blonde stared at Dru's sire  
  
"Look I'm trying to have extremely civilized conversation here, and you're biting my head off." Angel replied.  
  
"Steal lines much Angel." Dawn said walking up to the two.  
  
"What are you talking about." Angel said glaring at Buffy's sister.  
  
"The 'Look I'm trying to have extremely civilized conversation here and you're biting my head off.' It's from Twister. You must not remember since I mean you have so much time on your hands being undead and all you probably memorize a lot more movie lines than you can recall." Dawn said as Spike burst out into laughter.  
  
"She's right peaches. After all what's your only other past time? Brooding?"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Willow and Kennedy walked the L.A. streets taking a break from the researching and the confines of the hotel.  
  
"Beautiful day huh?" Willow said smiling at her new girlfriend.  
  
"Yea definitely, but anything is better than being stuck in a musty sunless hotel with a bunch of whiny girls and couples making googlely eyes at each other." Kennedy said matter-o-factly.  
  
Willow liked that about her. She was honest. Not honest like Anya because, well that would be something that world would never be ready for, two Anya's. But Kennedy was special. She was different from Tara. In there relationship Tara had been the quiet one, but in this new one, Willow was the quiet one. She spotted a coffee shop and quickly pointed out to her companion.  
  
"Want to get some coffee?" Willow asked smiling at the way the sunlight hit Kennedy's face.  
  
"Sure." The girl responded as the two headed into the little shop on the corner.  
  
Kennedy went to get a table as Willow stood inline. She was too busy looking at her new love to look where she was walking. Her gaze quickly turned when she felt herself bump into someone.  
  
"Oh I'm so sorry!" Willow exclaimed turning her head.  
  
The man turned around. "It's oka. . . " The man stopped speaking and looked at Willow.  
  
"Oz?"  
  
Hehehe.. I had to bring him back. I wish that it would happen this season but anywho. I'm gonna try to get the next chapter up ASAP. Please review k? Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	8. Interlude 1

"Willow?" Oz exclaimed before pulling her into a big hug.  
  
"How are you? What are you doing here?" Willow asked  
  
"I live here, in L.A. I'm good how are you doing I mean wow you look great. How's ummm Tara?" Oz asked cringing slightly at the thought of whom he had lost his Willow to.  
  
"She's dead." Willow said shortly eyes lowering.  
  
"Oh I'm so sorry Will." The Werewolf replied  
  
"It's okay."  
  
"Hey Willow what's taking my mocha so long?" Kennedy said as she approached the two.  
  
"Uh Oz this is Kennedy, Kennedy Oz." Willow said smiling at her ex- boyfriend.  
  
"Oz and I dated for awhile ya know back in my high school early college years with the shyness and the lack of extreme magical powers." Willow explained to Kennedy  
  
"Oh before you realized you were gay, or well I guess it would be bisexual considering you dated him." Kennedy said pointing at Oz.  
  
"Wow ya know she really reminds me of. . . " But Willow cut in on Oz's sentence.  
  
"Anya. Yea with the whole honesty thing." The two laughed realizing that the potential was not amused and Oz quickly changed the subject.  
  
"So what brings you here?"  
  
"Oh Big bad. . . very big bad trying to end the slayer line ya know all that fun stuff. Came here to get a potential slayer. We're heading back to Sunnydale tomorrow. All of us. The Scoobs, Angels gang and the SITs." Willow explained.  
  
"How we're going to accommodate all of those bodies is beyond me." Kennedy replied disgusted with the thought of sharing a bathroom with even more people.  
  
"Well the AI crew is staying in a hotel so it should be pretty much as it was for us." Willow said then looking at Oz as he seemed confused about what they were talking out.  
  
"Okay uh do you remember the thing that tried to make Angel kill himself?" she asked him  
  
"Yea the thing that had like eyeless people as its minions." Oz replied  
  
"Yes, well our buddy is back and now he's bringing these super human vampires." Willow said thinking if there was anything she was leaving out.  
  
"Well I'm done here so lets go." Oz said  
  
"Go where?" Willow replied  
  
"To Angel's." He said smiling  
  
"Huh?" Kennedy and Willow said at the same time  
  
"Well I figure slayers die equals world ends, and considering I'd like to live to see my music career go somewhere besides bowling alleys, I'll help. Plus I haven't seen everyone in awhile and it'll be fun to kick some demon butt again." Oz replied  
  
Willow smiled and grabbed Oz's hand. Kennedy followed the two as Willow seemed to talk non-stop updating Oz on anything and everything he had missed.  
*~* I wanted to give you guys something especially after some of the nice reviews I have received. I'll be adding a full chapter hopefully by Friday so I hope this holds you over! Hehe! Please review! Oh and no we are not halfway through the story. . . We're not even close !!! *~* 


	9. Family

*~* Thanks for all the sweet reviews guys you're too kind! Hehehe. Glad people are happy about Oz being back. He's not the last character that will return. LoL and now I believe I'll probably get some complaints to not put riley in am I right? Anywho keep reviewing. The more reviews the faster I write. It urges me on. Lata guys. Oh ya know I haven't been doing my All hail Joss I own nothing thing. oh well if you've read the first chapter it's there. Oh and ONE more thing. I don't know Spike's correct last name or if there even was one that was mentioned therefore I am using the one that I have heard used most often which is Winthrop. If you know of the actual last name please let me know!~*~  
  
"Do they know I'm coming? I mean I don't really feel like being jumped by half the room." Faith asked with as a look of concern fell on her face.  
  
"They know we need all the help we can get." Buffy said simply looking at Wesley for support.  
  
"Yes very much so." Was all Wesley offered.  
  
"Well here we are." Buffy said looking at Faith.  
  
"I'll go first you and Faith follow." Wesley said to Buffy as if he was her watcher again.  
  
He walked into the hotel with Buffy and Faith in tow. Several different looks came over the clump of people that were in the hotel. The look of resentment on much of Angel's crew faces and most of the Scoobies. Xander gave Faith the look that a young boy got across his face when he had a crush. Obviously he was remembering their time "together". Spike stared at the girl, never knowing that he had briefly met her while she was in Buffy's body. Angel walked towards the former inmate with caution, but Faith did something most people would not expect from her. She ran and hugged Angel like there was no tomorrow.  
  
Everyone was quiet while Faith and Angel pulled apart and began talking quietly. Giles walked to Buffy smiling. "It's a good thing Buffy, what you've done. We need her." He said  
  
Buffy smiled simply and nodded knowing that she had.  
  
The silence in the hotel seemed to go on forever until Chloe spoke up. "So is she another potential?"  
  
"Oh uh no." Buffy said walking over to the girls. "This is Faith. She's the other slayer."  
  
"I thought you said there was only supposed to be one?" An SIT whose accent shadowed that of Eliza Dolittle asked.  
  
"Yes well you all know that when a slayer dies another is called." Giles said to the group of girls. The girls nodded and he continued. "Well Buffy technically died for 2 minutes until she was brought back to life," Xander cut in "curtsey of me and my mouth to mouth skills, and wow that didn't sound good." He said backing down letting Giles finish.  
  
"So another slayer was called however she was killed so then Faith arrived." Giles ended his story there knowing that the details of Faith and her straying from her duty would be less than useful for a group of impressionable young girls.  
  
Everyone looked towards the stairs as a girl ran down. Erin looked at Buffy and the others. "Hey what'd I miss?" She asked.  
  
"Not too much just the 2nd slayer is here now." Anya said as always getting to the point.  
  
"Oh okay." Erin said taking a seat at the nearest table.  
  
The sound of a door slamming came echoing through the entrance. Kennedy walked in with Willow behind her. "Buffy! You'll never guess who I found." She exclaimed.  
  
"Oh God don't tell me it's another Potential cause I swear if I have to put up with one more whinny slayer in training I swear I'm going to scream." Anya said then glancing towards Erin and then at the group of girls. "No offense though."  
  
Willow stared at Anya then looked towards Buffy and spoke. "No but I think this something is better." Willow walked out of the room and outside. When she came back in there were gasps of surprise from the Scooby's as well as Angel and Cordelia.  
  
"Oz?!" Xander, Buffy, Angel, Anya, Cordelia, Giles, Wesley, and Dawn said simultaneously.  
  
"So I hear we got apocalypse number 15 thousand on our hands. Who's trying to open up the hell mouth with a statue this time?" Oz asked as the group of old friends ran at him and squishing him with hugs.  
  
As the group reminisced Kennedy and the SITs went upstairs to talk and train. All except Erin who from the time she had arrived had seemed to be secluded from the group.  
  
Spike turned and looked at the girl just staring at the SITs and then moving her stare to the old Sunnydale gang.  
  
"Why don't we bugger this and get you started on your training?" Spike said to Erin who smiled and nodded her head.  
  
"Sounds good to me." The two headed off to the basement of the hotel.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
* Meanwhile *  
  
Not too soon after Lorne had read Erin he had walked with Connor and went into the room where Fred and Gunn were researching quietly as the others were reuniting.  
  
"What did you see Lorne?" Fred asked as the demon rubbed his head like humans do when they have a migraine.  
  
"I saw the mouth of hell opening. The things coming out of it, they were, it was like every demon that had ever been vanquished or killed or banished or whatever was being spit back out." He said looking at the girl  
  
"But why would you see that when she sang?" Gunn asked "Do you think that she's not really a potential and has something to do with the First?"  
  
"No I don't think she does I mean she was detected by the witch coven that was searching for the potentials." Fred replied  
  
"Plus she's too nice." Connor said simply as the 3 stared at him.  
  
"Riiight because nice equals good all the time." Gunn's sarcasm obviously not going over well with Connor.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
* In The Hyperion Basement *  
  
"Alright good now I want you to go for my face." Spike said as he was teaching Erin the basic punches even though she insisted she already knew what she was doing.  
  
"I'm not going to hit you!" She complained.  
  
"Just do it. 'ts not going to hurt me too much. I heal fast." Spike said trying to coax the girl to continue with the training.  
  
"What's your name?" Erin asked him letting her arms down to rest.  
  
"We've already been over that upstairs pet." He replied  
  
"No your real name." She said smiling at the vampire.  
  
"William. Why is it important?" He questioned.  
  
"Where were you born?" She said answering a question with a question.  
  
"London, now how does this bloody well have anything to do with training." Spike replied wondering what the 20 questions were about.  
  
"Did you have any brothers?" Erin asked again. * Could this be him? * She thought.  
  
"Bloody hell child yes one."  
  
"You didn't kill him did you?" She interrogated  
  
"No I didn't kill them. Why does this have anything to do wi . . " Erin interrupted Spike  
  
"What was your last name?  
  
"Winthrop. Now can we get on with the . . "  
  
"Holy shit." Erin said interrupting Spike again.  
  
"What now?" He asked angrily.  
  
"You're him." She said staring at the vampire.  
  
"I'm who?" Spike asked  
  
"You're, I, we have the same last name." She replied  
  
"Not bloody likely. My brother was the last of the Winthrop men and he didn't have any chil . .dren." Spike said pausing on the last word.  
  
"Yes he did. He had a son. And his had a son. And that son had a son. And that son had a son. And that son had me." She said  
  
Spike with a baffled look on his face replied with a, "Huh?"  
  
"You're my Great-great-great Uncle. Give or take a great." Erin replied.  
  
"You've 'eard bout me?" Spike asked.  
  
"Yea. Family used to love to tell the story about you on Halloween. Scared us kids shitless. They always got out of taking us trick or treating that way because we were too afraid you'd come and bit us. But after my father died 3 years ago we stopped all contact with his family and my mom told me that it was a demon family." Erin explained.  
  
"Well what do you know bout me then?" Spike questioned.  
  
"When you were alive, you used to write poetry." But Spike stopped her there.  
  
"Okay that's enough I don't need to hear about my bloody past."  
  
He stared at the girl for a moment. "How could my brother have a child and I not know about it?"  
  
"They sent him off the Ireland. Your brother was afraid you'd eat him. Your mom was afraid the "gang that killed" you would kill him. That's how my mom met my Dad. All generations lived over in Ireland and London. I'm the first to be born here."  
  
Before Spike could say anything else Erin burst into tears and ran and hugged Spike. "I felt so alone here. Without my family. But now I have family here. I'm so glad you're here."  
  
The girl paused for a minute and pulled away from the vampire. "Can I call you Uncle William?"  
  
~*~ Haha I had this idea stirring through my brain for awhile. I thought it was interesting. Now Spike has some sort of responsibility other than Buffy and Dawn, and he gets to have a relationship with her similar to Angel's with Connor. There's much more to come. Here's a preview:  
  
Erin finds out about Spike's history with slayers. Willow questions whether she is gay or bisexual. Buffy and Spike are torn apart by 2 characters that return. Xander and Anya's rocky "relationship" is disturbed even more when Anya learns of Xander's and Faith's past together. Angel questions if Cordelia can deal with a non sexual relationship with him. Fred and Gunn continue to fall apart. Giles and Wesley travel to England to inspect the remains of the watchers council. 


	10. Overture

*~* Alright now I'm just making up SITs we don't know all of their names so hey why not add some of my own. Thanks for the reviews! I promise this will turn out awesome!! Keep reviewing! *~*  
Buffy looked around for the familiar flash of bleach blonde. The group of friends had been talking for over 15 minutes before she thought of how left out he might have felt. She slowly walked away from the chatter and headed upstairs to check on the potentials. She opened the door and looked around. Chloe and the British girl, Victoria, whom had been the newest arrival until Erin, were doing each other's hair in the corner of the room while a large group sat around a radio listening to music. Kennedy seemed to be sulking on the other side of the room while widdling a stake. Erin was nowhere in sight, and Buffy became worried.  
  
"Where's Erin?" She asked.  
  
"Who knows." Said a potential from Canada named April.  
  
"Yeah she thinks she's too good for us." Chloe said taking a break from braiding Victoria's air.  
  
"You guys never even gave her a bloody chance." Spike said as he appeared behind Buffy. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head before motioning her into the hallway. Buffy smiled at the potentials and closed the door.  
  
"Spike have you seen Erin?" She asked  
  
"Yeah it's alright she's fine. No eyeless priests have gotten to her yet." He replied smiling  
  
"So what's up then?" Buffy questioned.  
  
"It's about Erin. It's, we're, we're kinda related." Spike said quickly not sure how to explain it.  
  
"You're what?" Buffy looked confused.  
  
Spike told her what had been discussed in the basement. Buffy stared at him like he was talking gibberish.  
  
"So you're what her great times infinity uncle? Buffy asked  
  
"Hey now I'm not THAT old." Spike replied smiling.  
  
"Of course dear you don't look a day over 100." Buffy smiled at her love.  
  
"Geez what till Giles hears this. And Angel! William the Bloody has a family member that he didn't eat." Buffy said laughing  
  
Spike joined in on the laughter thinking of Angel's face of reaction.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
* Meanwhile *  
  
"So it's settled then? I think it's the best way we can get some kind of grasp on what is going on here." Giles said to Lorne.  
  
He, Lorne, Angel, Wesley, Gunn, Cordelia, and Fred had been discussing what Lorne had seen when he read Erin. Not to long after Buffy had snuck away from the group, Bunn had motioned for Giles, Angel, Wesley, and Cordelia to come over.  
  
"So what do we tell them we're having a karaoke night? Or do we actually tell them what you are?" Gunn asked.  
  
"Just tell them what I am. That way they have no excuse not to sing." Lorne replied.  
  
"What if one of them tries to slay you?" Fred asked.  
  
"I doubt they will, they know they don't have slayer strength." Giles replied  
  
"Do we all have to sing?" Angel asked with a look of horror on his face.  
  
"I believe it would be most helpful if we all did." Giles explained.  
  
"Well I guess I'll go round up the troops." Cordy said heading off in the direction of the stairs.  
  
*~* Next chapter Lorne will read everyone. The things I said would happen in the last chapter will start. Some of them because of what Lorne sees. I'll try to have that chapter up today as well! Review!" 


	11. A Musical Night

*~* Alright here's the "musical" chapter. I wanted a nice semi- lighthearted chapter before some of the other stuff started. Plus I thought it would be funny! A lot is going to be happening, so get some popcorn and soda and use the bathroom before you start reading! Hehe! Review! Oh and another note when people are singing the lyrics will have * around it.*~*  
  
Everyone in the hotel had gathered into the lobby. Lorne had gone out and rented a karaoke machine trying to make it as painless for everyone as possible. Especially himself. The situation had been explained and although reluctant everyone had agreed to sing.  
  
"Alright so who wants to go first?" Lorne asked looking around. He held the mic in his hand as if he had his club back again.  
  
Everyone avoided eye contact with Lorne hoping that he wouldn't ask them to come up and sing. Finally someone spoke up.  
  
"Oh bloody hell I'll go first." Spike exclaimed  
  
Lorne handed him the mic.  
  
"Alright so some of you won't know this song 'cause I'm taking it back to the years when people loved my hair." Spike said into the mic getting a chuckle out of the Scooby's and especially Buffy who had always given him flack on his hair.  
  
"Right so the chorus has meaning that uh some of you will understand. Right then. " The Music began and Spike looked at Buffy who only smiled back.  
  
*I hear the drums echoing tonight  
  
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversations.  
  
She's coming in 12:30 flight  
  
Her moonlight wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation.  
  
I stopped an old man along the way.  
  
Hoping to find some old forgotten words or ancient melodies  
  
He turned to me as if to say  
  
Hurry boy it's waiting there for you.*  
  
In the interim of instrumental before the chorus Spike walked closer to Buffy.  
  
*It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you  
  
there's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do  
  
I bless the rain down in Africa  
  
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had.*  
  
Those who had known exactly how Spike acquired his soul saw the obvious connection of this song.  
  
"That was wonderful Spike just wonderful!" Lorne exclaimed then turning to Wesley who had a pen and a piece of paper ready to write down what Lorne saw. "Not too much on this one. There were the two slayers he killed, but other then getting a soul and his love for Buffy nothing else really showed up." Wesley wrote down what was said.  
  
"Alright." Lorne said staring at the crowd. One by one the potentials sang. Some showing their deaths by Ubervamps and bringers, others nothing more than what they had left behind.  
  
Cordelia was next. Lorne grimaced knowing what he was in for.  
  
*In the arms of the Angel  
  
fly away from here  
  
from this dark cold hotel room  
  
and the emptiness that you fear  
  
you are pulled from the wreckage  
  
of your silent revere  
  
You're in the arms of the angel  
  
may you find some comfort here*  
  
Lorne looked to have a look of relief come over him when she was finished butchering the song. Anya was next.  
  
*A kiss on the hand may be quite continental  
  
but diamonds are a girl's best friend  
  
a kiss may be grand but it won't pay rental  
  
on your humble flat.*  
  
Before Anya could sing anymore of the song Dawn burst into laughter which followed by Xander, Giles, Buffy, Willow, and Spike joining in remembering how big of a deal Anya made about money when Giles had left her in charge of the magic box.  
  
Gunn stepped up next. He grabbed the mic and obviously felt the need to say something before her began. "Now I just want to say that singing this does not make me any less of a man." Everyone looked puzzled until the music began.  
  
*It's tearin' up my heart when I'm with you  
  
but when we are apart I feel it too  
  
and no matter what I do I feel the pain  
  
with or without you.*  
  
The potentials and Dawn seemed to be enjoying the song as most teenyboppers would. Everyone was laughing hysterically except Fred who felt the real meaning of the song.  
  
No one seemed like they wanted to follow that act until Erin spoke up and volunteer. When the music began Buffy recalled hearing the song last year when Giles had left her. The night when things had really began with her and Spike.  
  
*Of all the things I've believed in  
  
I just wanna get this over with  
  
Tears form behind my eyes  
  
But I do not cry  
  
Counting the days that pass me by  
  
I've been searching deep down in my soul  
  
Words that I'm hearing are starting to get old  
  
Feels like I'm starting all over again  
  
The last three years are just pretend.*  
  
As Erin finished Lorne began telling Wesley everything he saw. "Everything that I saw before. But now I see her and Spike tied together. Like they share some common bond." Wesley looked puzzled but just shrugged. Willow and Xander opted to sing together.  
  
*Xander: Listen baby  
  
ain't no mountain high  
  
ain't no valley low  
  
ain't no river wide enough baby  
  
Willow: If you need me call me  
  
No matter where you are  
  
No matter how far.  
  
Just call my name  
  
I'll be there in a hurry  
  
You don't have to worry.*  
  
Wesley went next and sang Smooth Criminal which no one really could understand why. Angel much to everyone's dismay was after him.  
  
*I'll be you're crying shoulder  
  
I'll be loves suicide.*  
  
"It'll be suicide if he doesn't stop singing." Spike mumbled to Buffy who burst out laughing.  
  
Buffy was next. She didn't want to sing you could tell. She stood there trying to figure out what to sing. She finally decided on one and the music began.  
  
*A Moment Like this  
  
Some people wait a lifetime  
  
For a moment like this.*  
  
Everyone applauded at Buffy's performance obviously not thinking it would go as well as it did. Lorne looked at Wesley frowning. "Do you know a Drusillia?" He asked Wesley who nodded. "That's what I saw." Lorne replied.  
  
Dawn performed I'm Not a Girl Not Yet a Woman, followed by Faith who sang Complicated which made so many people angry having to hear the highly overplayed song again. Fred went second to last hoping that they would forget that she hadn't sung.  
  
"Okay so um I'm going to sing a Broadway song because I'm not really into the current music." Fred immediately went into What Did I Ever See In Him from Bye Bye Birdie.  
  
"Alright so who's left? Oh the new guy. Ozzy right?" Lorne said.  
  
"Oz" Oz corrected.  
  
"Okay so at first I was thinking about doing that old American favorite Baby Got Back, but after I saw Gunn up here killing himself, I decided on another song that has more meaning."  
  
*You're all I ever wanted  
  
You're all I ever needed, yea  
  
So tell me what to do now  
  
'Cause I  
  
Want You Back.*  
  
Oz sang the rest of the song staring directly at Willow the whole time. Kennedy's eyes flashed with anger as she saw Willow blush at her ex's serenade.  
  
When all were through singing everyone went their separate ways. Angel and Wesley were talking leaving the paper to be seen by anyone.  
  
Erin looked around to see if anyone was watching. She wanted to see what they had written down. She glanced over everyone's name. When she got to Spike she gasped. He had killed two slayers. Two of her kind, or what she was possibly going to be.  
  
He killed the rest of my great great great grandfathers family. She thought. What's to stop him now.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Outside the Hyperion two shadowed figures emerged from the brush.  
  
"Miss Edith isn't happy with you my Spikey." Drusillia said to the air with he signature crazy look on her face.  
  
"Um yea about that, see I was with him last and we never officially broke up so technically he's my Spike." Harmony said stepping out the shadows.  
  
"No little girl, he made you. I, I made him. And soon we will dance together on the blood of the enemy and stars will be happy again." Spikes sire smiled wickedly and glared at her blonde "companion."  
  
~*~ The following songs were used/or mentioned in this chapter. I do not own them don't sue me. 'Africa' - Toto, 'Angel' - Sarah McLachlan, 'Sparkling Diamonds' - Marylin Monroe & Moulin Rouge, 'Tearin' Up My Heart' - Nsync, 'Goodbye To You' - Michelle Branch, 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' - Marvin Gaye, 'Smooth Criminal' - Michael Jackson, 'I'll Be' - Edwin McCain, 'A Moment Like This' - Kelly Clarkson, 'I'm Not A Girl Not Yet A Woman' - Britney Spears, 'Complicated' - Avril Lavigne, 'What Did I Ever See In Him' - Bye Bye Birdie, and 'I Want You Back' - Nsync  
  
If I upset anyone with the songs I used I'm sorry I just thought they fit either that or it was funny. I hope ya guys liked it. I'll try to update tomorrow. Please review. Let me know what you think.  
  
Next: There'll be more explanations on what Lorne saw, Spike will tell the crew that he's related to Erin, the gang goes back to Sunnydale to deal with the first, Buffy goes back in time (yes I'm taking this from Get It Done it fits in this story) for help. While Buffy is gone the first attacks with more ubervamps. Some potentials lose their lives. Faith is near death after an encounter with an ubervamp. While in the hospital recovering the gang is minus both slayers. Review review review. 


	12. Road Trip

*~* Sorry for not updating in a while I've been soooooooooooo busy! I promise to try and keep up more. Hope you enjoy the chapter. REVIEW!!!!!!!*~*  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Alright everyone got everything they need?" Buffy asked the gang of potentials.  
  
"'Cause believe me we're bloody well not turning around to get a forgotten hair dryer." Spike said making the girls giggle as they made googly eyes at him. Buffy noticing the girls faces grabbed Spike's hand as if the claim him as hers, which he was.  
  
The SITS piled into one large van driven by Xander. The rest of the Scooby's packed into Oz's van, and the AI group followed in two cars while Erin and Dawn were going to be traveling in Erin's car. Connor watched the two girls starts to get into the car and decided he wanted to go with them. Without a word to Angel he dashed over the girls car.  
  
"Can I go with you guys?" He asked smiling.  
  
"Uh yeah I guess, Erin?" Dawn said.  
  
"Oh yes because I want to be told how superhuman you are the whole way there." She rolled her eyes and added, "Fine, hop in."  
  
Angel looked around at the two cars and then turned to Cordelia. "Where'd my son go?"  
  
Cordy laughed and pointed at the car that contained the three teenagers. "Just like his father trying to get the slayer, er, well you know what I mean."  
  
Angel glanced in the direction of the care then turned his gaze back to Cordelia. "I'm not into the slayer thing anymore. I'm more into the former higher beings." He said cracking a smile as he got into the drivers seat.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The gang set off for Sunnydale while enjoying the small road trip.  
  
"You're tired luv why don't you rest." Spike said brushing his hand through Buffy's hair.  
  
"No I want to enjoy this time that I have with you without teenagers gawking over you." Buffy said smiling.  
  
"Yea so uh, when did Spike become Buffy's new boyfriend. I thought she was with Riley." Oz said unaware that the couple could hear him.  
  
"Pfft! That pussy! Captain Cardboard couldn't handle Buffy being the slayer. 'snot her fault that he's a weak son-of-a-bitch who gets off on 'aving vamp hoes bite him." Spike said angrily making Buffy laugh.  
  
"He did that? Wow. He seemed so.." Oz said  
  
"Reliable?" Buffy finished. "There lies the problem. But that's ancient history. What have you been up to?"  
  
"Oh ya know music the usual." He replied  
  
"Have you gotten a new orgasm friend since Willow is now gay?" Anya blurted out. Giles who had left halfway during the musical fest the night before in order to obtain a needed book that might have insight on the First had returned early in the morning and been napping most of the time in the car. He had woken up a few minutes before Anya's comment.  
  
"Anya!" Buffy exclaimed  
  
Giles took his glasses off and began cleaning them.  
  
"Giles give it up cleaning them isn't going to stop you from hearing what we're saying!" Buffy said  
  
"I'm hungry." Willow suddenly blurted out.  
  
"Oh there's animal crackers in the glove compartment." Oz replied as Willow opened it and gleefully pulled out the box.  
  
"Oooo monkey!" Willow exclaimed and began eating it.  
  
"Did you know that monkeys are the only crackers that have pants?" Oz said smiling at Willow remembering the trivial conversation they had had years before.  
  
"Yea, So I'm wondering, do the other cookie animals feel sorta ripped? Like, is the hippo going, 'Hey, where are my pants? I have my hippo dignity. " Willow replied laughing  
  
"And you know the monkey's just like 'I mock you with my monkey pants." Oz finished  
  
"The monkey is French?" Spike asked after hearing Oz's monkey voice.  
  
"Yea all monkey's are French. You didn't know that?" Oz replied  
  
*~* Meanwhile in Erin's car *~*  
  
"Well I can't take another heart break  
  
though you say you're my friend I'm at my wits end" Erin and Dawn belted out as they pushed 75 on the freeway.  
  
"Can we possibly stop with the chick music?" Connor asked trying to sound what he thought was cool.  
  
"Okay see this is a chicks car so we play what we want." Erin replied  
  
"Plus we're not chicks, we're women." Dawn replied laughing  
  
"God I know where Dawn gets the attitude from but what's your excuse potential?" Connor replied  
  
"I have a name I'm just some clone in an army." Erin replied angrily. "And as for my attitude, lets just say it comes from my uncle." She finished not sure whether or not to tell them what she had learned the other day.  
  
"Yes because that explains it a lot seeing as we don't know who you're uncle is." Connor replied again.  
  
"And where do you get off saying I have an attitude problem. Buffy has to have an attitude she's a slayer." Dawn said joining in on the rage against Connor  
  
"Whatever just drive." Connor said sighing and looking out the window. He was staring at the nothing that they were passing when his cell phone rang. "Yea what do you want."  
  
"Hey watch you're tone." Angel said laughing "So how are you doing Romeo? You holding up or has the potential slayer and the key killed you emotionally already?"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Connor replied  
  
"Oh you and the thing you have for Erin. It's got to be the slayer thing. You're just wondering what it was like when I was with Buffy aren't you?" Angel replied  
  
"No I have no interest in her." He said quietly.  
  
"Riiiiiiight and I have no interest in Cordelia." He answered back. Connor heard Cordelia laughing in the background.  
  
"Ooo you're breaking up sorry BUBYE." Connor said hanging up the phone.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"He's so gorgeous!" Chloe exclaimed.  
  
The SIT's had been sitting around in the van talking incessantly about Spike much to Xander's dismay, however they had made it to Sunnydale and were now making their way down Buffy's street.  
  
As the van pulled up Oz's van and Erin's car came into view as they had already arrived. Now they were just waiting on the AI crew.  
  
Shouting was heard from behind Erin's car as Xander and everyone in Oz's van got out.  
  
"Look for the rest of the time here just stay away from me okay? You're worse than the cheerleaders with the holier than though act." As the group walked to where the car was they saw Erin yelling at Connor.  
  
"Oh and what are you going to do if I talk to you? Fight me? You couldn't even beat up a blind squirrel!" Connor replied however before he could realize what was happening Erin issued a jab right into Connor's nose.  
  
"What the hell is going on here oooooo ouch, Willow take him inside and get him cleaned off." Buffy said as she saw Connor's bloody half broken nose.  
  
Spike saw the damage as it was walking inside and went over to his niece. "Not the nose! What is it with slayers and noses!"  
  
"Sorry Uncle." Erin replied without realizing. She hadn't wanted special treatment or for people to treat her differently at all because of that but she had just let it out.  
  
"Uncle?!" Xander exclaimed.  
  
As Spike and Buffy went through the whole spiel of how they were related Angel and his group arrived at headquarters before they checked into the local hotel.  
  
Angel walked over to Erin and Dawn as they were unpacking the trunk. "Where's Connor?"  
  
"Inside getting fixed up." Dawn replied non-chalantly.  
  
"What happened to him?" Angel asked sounding slightly concerned.  
  
"Erin." Dawn replied simply.  
  
Angel turned to Erin. "You hit my son?!"  
  
"No offense Angel but you're son's an ass hole." Erin said picking up her bags and following Dawn into the house.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Can't we just go get him now? I mean they aren't expecting it. It'd be like a surprise attack!!!" Harmony asked obviously annoying the elder vampire.  
  
"No child! There are too many of them. We need to get him. . . alone."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
*~* Well what do you guys think? Was it worth the wait? I feel really bad about taking forever! I'm very very sorry. Please please review it makes me want to write faster! *~* 


	13. Accusations

~*~Thanks for the reviews guys!!!! You're too kind to me! Hehe! I'll try to update more often like I used to now that all my crazy projects for school are done. REVIEW! ~*~  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The groups had parted ways with Angel and the crew checking in to the local Sunnydale Motel 6.  
  
"Ugh my water is brown!" Came Cordelia's voice as she walked out of her room outside to where some of the others were gathered.  
  
"At least you HAVE water." Gunn replied  
  
"Look we're low one cash. We haven't had any jobs since this impending apocalypse arrived." Wesley explained  
  
Connor was sitting in the corner of the two-bed room. He got up slowly and walked over to the mirror assessing the damage of his face.  
  
"Now that is what I call a battle wound." Came Angel's voice from behind him.  
  
"A battle wound? It was from a girl." Connor said taking his place back on the chair.  
  
"Anything with a woman is a battle." Angel replied smirking. "Especially if you like her."  
  
"I do NOT like her. She's a pain in my ass." Connor yelled.  
  
"Well then why do you insist of following her around wherever you go?"  
  
"I don't follow her around. Plus I don't like her, I like Dawn." Connor replied  
  
"No you don't. She doesn't have that fire that you want. I know exactly how you feel son. I did date a slayer ya know." Angel giving the 'Nancy boy' smile as Spike had always referred to him as.  
  
"Well she's not a slayer she's just a girl with an expiration date hanging over her head." Connor rebutted. With that he got up and left the room to take a walk.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"I can't believe you're related!" Dawn replied giddily while looking at Erin and Spike  
  
"I can't believe he didn't kill your family." Xander said  
  
"I can't believe you hit Connor in the nose!" Spike said but then starting laughing. "Although the look on the great poofs face when he heard what you did was priceless."  
  
"That's just what the world needs another of. Spike." Buffy replied sarcastically.  
  
Spike frowned at the comment. Buffy noticed his sudden change in mood and quickly redeemed herself. "Because there is only room in my heart for one Spike." She said smiling and moving to sit on her lovers lap as she placed a short kiss on his lips.  
  
"Gag me and throw me in a lake!" Anya said at the public display of affection between the two.  
  
Giles took off his glasses and began cleaning them.  
  
"Giles I thought we already established the cleaning of the glasses thing." Buffy said staring at her watcher.  
  
"Oh would you just let it be!" He said getting up and walking into the kitchen.  
  
"I don't see what the big deal is. She's just another maggot." Kennedy said out of nowhere. Support started to uproar from the other potentials.  
  
"STOP!" Buffy screamed. "That's completely uncalled for. Especially since she's in the room. Kennedy why don't you take the others out and train or something."  
  
Hurt shone in Erin's eyes. She slouched back into the couch. Spike put his arm around her and smiled. "Hey don't listen to them 'Rin. And you are a big deal to me. 'nly family I 'ave now." Erin smiled  
  
"Come on you can stay in my room, that way you can avoid the wrath of the potentials." Dawn said as the girls grabbed their luggage and went upstairs.  
  
Willow and Oz were sitting on the loveseat. The two had been quiet throughout what had just gone on. They seemed to be flirting. Buffy looked slightly surprised. "Will, can I have a word with you in the kitchen?"  
  
"Sure Buff." The wiccan said as they both got up and headed to the other room.  
  
"What is going on?! Are you two like ya know getting back together? I mean I thought you were gay Will!" Buffy said immediately as they had entered the kitchen.  
  
Giles, who was sipping a cup of tea rolled his eyes and left the room.  
  
"I am, er I though I was. Maybe I'm both! But I mean the magic that was between us before is there and it's strong and hard to resist. I realize how much I had missed him Buffy!" Willow said  
  
Buffy smiled at her friend. "Do whatever makes you happy Will. Not what will make everyone else happy." The advice that Buffy had finally taken was now being shared with others.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"So what's the deal with you and Connor?" Dawn asked as the two plopped their luggage down.  
  
"There is no deal. He's annoying, ill-tempered, and. . ." Dawn cut her off  
  
"Amazingly cute?"  
  
"My gosh no!" Erin replied sitting down on the floor.  
  
"Yea he is I mean it that adorable way." Dawn replied  
  
"Well if you think he's that cute why don't you go after him!" Erin retorted  
  
"Because I'm not the one he's going all gaga over." Dawn said  
  
"Riiiight because pissing me off is a great way for me to be attracted to him." Erin replied  
  
"It worked with Spike and Buffy." Dawn said shrugging her shoulders.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Finally time alone!" Buffy exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Spikes neck.  
  
"Seems like forever." He replied  
  
Buffy stood there staring into his eyes until finally he could take it no longer. He pulled her to him and began to kiss her hungrily. Their tongues began to fight for dominance. Spike growled quietly when Buffy suddenly pulled back.  
  
"We said we'd take this slow baby. We don't want things to be like that last time." Buffy said  
  
"I know luv, I know. But it's so hard to be this close to you. I want you so bad. I want to be able for the first time to make love to you and have you make love back to me." Spike replied looking into her eyes.  
  
"I know I want to too but we need to take it slow. Plus we can't exactly have privacy with the 50 thousand people we have in the this house." Buffy said laughing.  
  
"Well then I best be going down to my cot." Spike replied but Buffy stopped him from leaving.  
  
"Stay here tonight. Sleep with me." Buffy said.  
  
"But you just said . . . " Buffy interrupted  
  
"No just here by my side. Sleep with me please. I don't want to be alone." Buffy said. Spike smiled and watched as his lover got into bed. He followed and wrapped his arms around her as she quickly went to sleep. He glanced at the clock and mumbled. "Bloody hell it's only 10:00!"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Erin was in the kitchen getting a snack when she heard someone opening the door. She ran in the living room to see Faith in black leather pants and a black tank ready to leave the house.  
  
"Where ya going?" Erin asked  
  
"Patrolling." Faith replied simply  
  
"Can I come?" Erin asked.  
  
"I guess." Faith replied. Erin smiled giddily and grabbed her jeans jacket and a stake before heading out the door.  
  
The two were walking through the graveyard. It was 10:30 and they had seen no action in the half hour they'd been out.  
  
"Nice cross." Faith said pointing at Erin's necklace.  
  
"Oh thanks. My mother gave it to me. I never take it off." Erin replied  
  
"Well it'll come in handy if a vamp tries to bit your neck." Faith said as the two laughed.  
  
Shortly after the laughter had died down Faith stopped in her tracks. Erin stopped as well glancing at the slayer for instructions to run and hide.  
  
"Something's coming." Faith whispered  
  
Erin looked around. "I don't see anything."  
  
"Slayer sense"  
  
Erin looked at Faith with OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOh plastered on her forehead.  
  
"It's coming from this direction." Faith said pointing.  
  
"Wait but I hear something in this direction." Erin said pointing opposite Faith's  
  
"Okay I'll go see what's going on over here and you take over there. Just see what it is then come back. Don't attempt to fight you're not a slayer." Faith said as the two separated.  
  
Faith walked towards whatever was making her slayer senses go haywire until she ran into Connor. 'Of course they'd go off since you're like a vampire.' Faith thought.  
  
"Hi Faith." Connor said cracking a smile. Faith didn't have time to respond. A scream tore through the night and the two set off in the direction in which it came from. Faith then realized it was the same direction Erin had gone in.  
  
The two rounded the corner and saw Erin fighting or rather getting beaten by an Ubervamp. She had managed to kick it's legs out from under them and slam the stake in it's chest but it had not gone to dust.  
  
"What the hell is that?!" Connor said as the two rushed over.  
  
"Take Erin back to Buffy's!" Faith exclaimed looking at the bruised and battered potential.  
  
"But don't you need. . . " Connor started but Faith stopped him.  
  
"JUST GO!"  
  
Connor quickly picked up Erin and began to run hoping he would happen upon the Summers house.  
  
"This is between you and me ugly." Faith said as she launched herself at the Ubervamp.  
  
~*~ Alright I'll leave ya hanging. What do you think?! Review Review Review!!!! I want to say a personal thanks to Slyslayer13 for telling me that you were speechless after reading the last chapter. That means SO much to me you have no idea! COMING UP NEXT: Drusilla and Harmony make their presence known. ~*~ 


	14. Slayers

~*~ Please review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not too much to say here guys so just review alright? If you review a lot I'll have chapters out faster! Oh and I stand corrected on the Harmony being sired by Spike lol just my imagination setting in but for the sake of the story lets just pretend Spike did sire her. Is that okay with ya'll?~*~  
  
"This is between you and me ugly." Faith said as she launched herself at the Ubervamp.  
  
The bushes rustled as Harmony made her way out of the hiding spot. "Wrong slayer you dummy!" She yelled smacking the Ubervamp on the back of the head.  
  
The vamp looked away and Faith took off in the direction of Buffy's house. She couldn't take them alone. At least that way she could warn Buffy.  
  
"Wonderful child now she can go back to all the other kiddies and tell them we summoned this gorgeous creature to kill her." Drusillia said coming out of the shadows stroking the Ubervamps head.  
  
Faith looked behind her seeing the other vampire emerge and quickened her speed.  
  
"There is no need to worry. There is no way their little army can defeat me." The First said emerging in the form of the master. "I want to see her squirm with worry."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Buffy, someone, anyone come quick!" Connor yelled as he exploded into the Summer's house.  
  
Footsteps were heard from different places in the house. The potentials came up from the basement where they were training, while Buffy, Spike, Willow, Oz, Dawn, Xander, and Giles came running from the upstairs. Xander was the first to reach the scene. "Oh my God what happened?"  
  
"I don't know exactly." Connor said walking over to the couch and placing Erin down lightly. "I went out for a walk and I run into Faith who was patrolling and Erin was patrolling with her but they had split up for a second and then there was this big beasty thing. Faith told me to take Erin and run."  
  
Buffy had walked in to hear the explanation. "Faith took her WHERE?" She yelled as Willow and Giles entered the room. After taking one look at the scene Willow quickly went and grabbed the first aid kit to begin attending to Erin's wounds.  
  
"She's just knocked out." Willow said "With some bruises and cuts but I doubt it's anything fatal."  
  
Spike had been the last one to enter the room because of the potentials blocking his way. When he say Erin his face seemed to turn whiter than it already was. He rushed over to her side. "What happened to her? Will she be okay?" Spike asked with the fear evident in his voice.  
  
"She'll be just fine." Willow replied smiling at Spike  
  
"Don't worry blood breath she'll be fine." Xander said surprising trying to be reassuring.  
  
Suddenly a slam of the door turned everyone's attention. Faith ran in obviously out of breath.  
  
"YOU!" Buffy yelled. "You took her out patrolling?! Without consulting me?"  
  
"B, I'm a slayer too. We just split up for a second. Plus she wanted to go with me." Faith said. "But that's besides the point since I see she is still breathing. The thing was like this mondo ugly beast. It kinda looked like a deformed vampire."  
  
"Ubervamp." Anya said making her presence known. "Ugly with lots of bumpies right?"  
  
"That's the guy. Anyway and then this like valley girl blonde vampire comes out and smacks this thing and tells it it has the wrong slayer. So that distracted the thing so I started to high tail it outta there. When I looked back to make sure no one was following I saw another vamp. Some chick with brown hair kinda looks like a gypsy." Faith explained  
  
Spike's eye's flashed yellow when he heard what the slayer was saying. Buffy say his face and tilted her head slightly as if to ask what was wrong.  
  
"Harmony and Dru." He said simply.  
  
"It's the attack of the ex girlfriends." Xander said attempting to submit comic relief to the situation.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Erin yawned not ready to open her eyes yet and face the morning. She was in so much pain it seemed unbearable. She rolled over and felt like there were thousands of eyes watching her. She slowly opened one eye to see Spike sitting on a chair next to her smiling, Connor sitting on another chair across the room, Faith, Buffy, and Angel standing and Dawn sitting on the floor next to Spike.  
  
"Geez why is everyone looking at me as if I died." Erin said opening the other eye and attempting to move. "OWWW okay I think I'll try moving sometime next century."  
  
"I can't believe you're alive." Anya blurted out.  
  
"Tact Anya." Xander said to his ex fiancé  
  
"Oh like I'm the only one that's thinking that. I mean Buffy went against those things and almost died and she's like the most powerful person ever. Well except when I'm a vengeance demon. Or when Willow is evil." Anya replied  
  
"Look it's not like I got more than a few blows in until the thing knocked me out. I'm only alive cause Faith was nearby." Erin responded  
  
"Actually you're alive because of Connor. That's who I found when we split up." Faith explained grimacing at what she had done.  
  
"Oh." Erin said. Spike looked at her and nudged her leg. "Um thanks." She said avoiding eye contact with Connor.  
  
"Yea well if you died there would be no one to tell me how self righteous I think I am." Connor replied giving an attitude.  
  
"I have one of those. And I love her to death." Spike replied smiling at Buffy  
  
"Oh would you all stop with the PDA please." Giles replied walking into the room with Wesley and a stack of books.  
  
"What's this all about?" Buffy asked staring at the books.  
  
"Well we've been doing some research about slayers and the first. Especially about the first slayer. There aren't many accountings on her however." Wesley replied setting a book down.  
  
"There is a way however that we can learn more. Buffy, we need you to meet with the first slayer. You need to find out something more that will help us beat this thing." Giles said to his slayer.  
  
"We've got the spell, all we need is Willow." Wesley said smiling at the Wicca who had just entered the room hand in hand with Oz.  
  
"No problem. I can do it. I think." Willow said meekly  
  
"Well lets get started now. Buffy, you Willow and I will do the spell in the dining room. Everyone else stay here." Giles said ordering everyone.  
  
"Buffy..' Spike started to say protesting.  
  
"I'll be fine." She said gazing into his eyes before leaning in and kissing him quickly. "I love you."  
  
"I love you too Buffy." Spike said smiling as Buffy walked into the other room. ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Are you sure you're alright?" Spike asked Erin who had sit up slightly to see what was going on with Buffy.  
  
"I'm fine!" Erin exclaimed. Spike smiled at her and gave her a quick light hug in order not to hurt her.  
  
"Dawn is it okay if I use your bed? I really don't want to be here and try to sleep and I'm thinking no to the floor." Erin asked getting up.  
  
"Yea sure no problem." Dawn replied smiling  
  
"Want some help up the stairs?" Spike asked.  
  
"Yea just a little support Uncle William." Erin replied slowly walking with Spike's arm around her waist holding most of her weight.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Erin had been resting for a little while when a knock sounded at the door. "Come in."  
  
Connor walked in slowly leaving the door open. "Hi. Just wanted to see how you were doing."  
  
"I'm fine. Thanks for saving my life." Erin replied  
  
"I didn't really save your life I mean Faith did she started fighting the thing." Connor answered sitting down on the end of the bed.  
  
"If you hadn't got me away from there who knows what could've happened to me. So thanks. And um I'm sorry for hitting you in the nose." Erin said smiling  
  
"It'll heal." Connor said starting to get up.  
  
"Wait." Erin said sitting up as Connor said back down.  
  
Erin moved over and leaned in lightly kissing Connor on the lips. Connor gazed into her eyes as she pulled away. He hadn't really been kissed before. Well with the exception of that druggy girl. He wanted to kiss her again but didn't know if he should or not. What did he have to lose. He leaned in and kissed Erin. Lightly at first then deepening the kiss. Slowly their tongues began to wrestle until they heard someone clear their throat at the door and they pulled apart.  
  
"Sorry to uh interrupt but just thought I'd let you know that Buffy is now in some other dimension." Angel said smiling at his son until he realized they were sitting on a bed. Thinking about how if it was Buffy and him what he knew would happen or would've when they were their age he felt the need to get Connor out of there. "Conner I need your help on something. Plus Erin needs her rest."  
  
Connor got up but not before placing a kiss on Erin's cheek. As Angel closed the door Connor gave a look of resentment to his father.  
  
"She's hurt and vulnerable and probably didn't know what she was doing Connor. If you would've stayed in there she'd hate you even more than she already will when she gets better." Angel explained  
  
"What are you talking about." Connor asked  
  
"If she's anything like Buffy she'll pretend that that never happened." Spike said stepping out of the shadow's.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Night fell in Sunnydale. Buffy was still in the other dimension so the gang was down on slayer when the attack began.  
  
"What are those things?! They look like eyeless priests!" Fred asked  
  
"They're friends of the first. Bringers" Xander replied as everyone gazed out the window into the front yard.  
  
"And look it's our good friend the Uber." Anya said  
  
"Remember, you need to cut off it's head. Stakes don't work." Kennedy said to Faith handing her an axe.  
  
"No problem." The slayer said going out into yard followed by Spike and Angel.  
  
As the fight began it appeared that the 3 had the upper hand until it easily threw Faith into a nearby tree cracking her skull.  
  
"Spike, quick get her to the hospital she's losing a lot of blood." Angel yelled "I'll take care of this thing."  
  
The ubervamp was distracted by the bleach blonde grabbing the slayer and running. Angel took advantage of it and grabbed Faith's fallen ax chopping its head off with one swipe. ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Spike had gone back to the Summer's house after Willow, Giles, Xander, Oz and Wesley had arrived. They sat around waiting for the doctors to tell them how she was doing. When the doctor finally came out of the ER the 4 ran over to get the results.  
  
"Well, she lost a lot of blood. Her heart stopped but we managed to get it started again. She's in critical condition but I believe she'll pull through." The doctor said but Willow, Xander, Oz, and Giles froze at the second bit of information that he had told them.  
  
"Wait you said her heart stopped?" Xander asked.  
  
"Yes but we got it started again after a few tries." The doctor answered  
  
"When someone's heart stops doesn't that mean they're clinically dead?" Willow asked  
  
"Yes it does." The doctor answered giving the group and odd look before walking back into the ER.  
  
"What's wrong?" Wesley asked looking at the other three.  
  
"We have another slayer." Giles said.  
  
"No you don't Faith is alive." Wesley replied  
  
"How do you think another slayer got called?" Giles said. "Buffy died briefly. Her heart stopped."  
  
~*~ What do you think? Do you guys like the story so far? I had this thought while watching one of the episodes about how ya know Buffy died briefly and another was called and I was thinking well why don't they just kill someone and bring them back to life so you have more slayers lol.. I don't know what I was thinking. But I thought this would be interesting. PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!! I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! ~*~ 


	15. Genetic

~*~ Thanks for the great reviews guys! Keep 'em coming!!!!!!!!!!~*~  
  
In a different dimension *  
  
"We know why you have come here slayer." One of the hooded men said as Buffy got up from being knocked down from the powerful spell.  
  
"Great so can you give me the cliff notes version 'cause I got an apocalypse to advert at home." Buffy replied  
  
"You have what you need with you. Everything surrounding you can help you. The people you surround yourself with are all you need to be victorious." Another hooded man said.  
  
"Riiiight and if that were true everything would be hugs and puppies now but last time I looked it was blood and dead bodies." Buffy replied angrily  
  
"What you need to do is use your resources. You have two ensouled vampires, 3 slayers including yourself, a witch, the key, two watchers, a woman who gets visions, a spawn of two vampires, a singing demon, tons of potential slayers, an ex vengeance demon, a werewolf, and 2 ordinary people who are smart, strong, and good at heart." Another hooded man said stepping out of the shadows that engulfed him.  
  
"Wait wait hold up there are only 2 slayers. Me and Faith." Buffy replied "But that's beyond the point. How is this supposed to help me."  
  
"If you cannot figure out how to use your environment correctly, then you aren't really a slayer." The first hooded man explained as the second got ready to speak.  
  
"There are many things within your grasp. The bond between all of you whether formed out of pure love or pure hatred ties you together. The larger and stronger the bond grows, the more powerful the army of good becomes."  
  
"How are we supposed to defeat this?" Buffy asked  
  
"By trusting what you have learned. You have learned many things over your years as slayer. Recall all your fights, everything you have concurred, and then and only then will you find the answer you are looking for." The first hooded man added  
  
And then without warning the three men disappeared but what formed in their place was something very familiar to Buffy. It was her first day in Sunnydale. It was back to the beginning.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Erin was beginning to feel better when she got the news about Faith's encounter with the Ubervamp. Wesley, Giles, Xander, and Willow were still at the hospital but were expected home soon.  
  
She got up from the bed and started walking around noticing that her cuts seemed better than they had when she fell asleep. Shacking it off she walked over to the radio and turned it on.  
  
Miss independent  
  
Miss self-sufficient  
  
Miss keep your distance, no  
  
Miss on her own  
  
Miss almost grown  
  
Miss never let a man help her off her throne So, by keeping her heart protected  
  
She'd never ever feel rejected  
  
Little miss apprehensive  
  
Said ooh, she fell in love -  
  
Erin began singing along until she heard a light knock at the door, turning and seeing Spike.  
  
"Hey." He said simply  
  
"Any news on Faith?" Erin asked  
  
"No, not yet." Spike said eyes going to the cut on Erin's forehead that seemed to be healing already. "What did you do to your cut? It looks like it's going away."  
  
"It was like 2 days ago. Maybe I'm just a fast healer." Erin replied shrugging it off.  
  
"So what's up with you and Connor?" Spike asked nonchalantly  
  
"Ugh nothing. I was definitely drowsy and not coherent." Erin replied grimacing  
  
"Just. . . don't lead him on okay?" Spike asked sounded as if it was personal to him, Erin not knowing Spike and Buffy's past quite well.  
  
"It definitely will never EVER happen again. As long as I have an IQ above 1 that is." Erin replied.  
  
Spike smiled lightly remembering all the things that Buffy had said to him last year.  
  
"Hey can we train now?" Erin asked  
  
"Are you sure you're ready?" Spike asked looking at his 'niece' oddly.  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm fine?!" Erin exclaimed  
  
"Alright." Spike said simply as they headed toward the basement.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The clanking of poker chips sounded as the two headed down the stairs to the first floor.  
  
"Royal flush! I win!" Connors voice exclaimed.  
  
"You cheated!" Gunn said angrily  
  
"No I didn't!" Connor said defending himself.  
  
"Must be the vampire reflex's you inherited. Probably can cheat a lot easier that way." Dawn said laughing  
  
"He's just learning I doubt he knows how to cheat yet. . . unless he's been around Spike." Angel said  
  
"Nah I think the shiftiness is genetic." Cordy replied. Playfully pushing Angel. He laughed and placed a kiss on her forehead.  
  
"It could possibly be mathematically impossible to obtain a royal flush. I could do some quick calc. . . " Fred stopped as eyes went on her and her genius spiel.  
  
Erin and Spike entered the foyer and Spike walked in to see what was going on.  
  
"Eh poker! Now that's my game." Turning to Erin, "Mind if I play a few rounds?"  
  
"Sure whatever I'll go train on my own." Erin said trying to get away from Connor as fast as possible.  
  
"Deal me in." Spike said taking a seat next to Dawn.  
  
"I think I'll sit this one out," Connor said getting up and following Erin.  
  
"Connor. . ." Cordelia started but he was already out of the room.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Erin wait." Connor called out to her. She stopped and turned around to face him.  
  
"What?" She asked  
  
"Are you feeling better?" He asked  
  
"Much better thanks." Erin said starting to turn around.  
  
Connor moved in wrapped his arms around her and attempted to kiss her.  
  
Erin pushed him away from her with a disgusted look on her face. "What do you think you're doing?" She yelled  
  
"But earlier you were . . . " Erin cut in as Connor was talking  
  
"Under extreme pain therefore having a lack of judgment." Erin angrily "If you for one minute thought that you had a chance with me, you and you're almighty attitude, you were sorely mistaken."  
  
With that Erin turned and headed down to the basement.  
  
Spike and Angel had heard the whole thing, even the parts not audible to human ears.  
  
With a hurt look in his eyes and the glaze that forms when you're on the verge of crying Connor ran to the door and took off.  
  
"Connor!" Angel yelled but was too late.  
  
"Now that was entertaining." Anya said as she and Lorne entered from the kitchen. She had seemed to be enjoying talking to him about her demon days. "Must be a slayer thing."  
  
"She's not a slayer yet." Dawn said correcting her.  
  
The closing of the Summer's front door sounded again, but it was not Connor returning.  
  
"We're home!" Willow yelled then saw the majority of the group in the living room. "Oh whoops."  
  
"How's Faith doing? Is she alright?" Angel asked  
  
"She's fine. Ya know died briefly but no big. Been there done that." Xander said  
  
"Oh, OOOOOOOOOOOO." Angel and Cordelia said simultaneously.  
  
"Okay color me confused." Gunn replied with a puzzled look on his face. Fred and Lorne looked equally confused.  
  
Dawn and Anya obviously understood what was going on and just looked on attentively.  
  
"If we are correct we could possibly have another called slayer on our hands." Giles said then explaining to the others how Buffy had died briefly at the master's hands.  
  
"Isn't that a good thing though? I mean the more power we can get the better." Fred said  
  
"Well yes and no. None of these girls have the discipline to be a slayer. Not that Faith and Buffy were but now more than ever we all need to be." Giles explained  
  
"How are we supposed to know which one it is? Or if she is even here?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Well that shouldn't be too hard to determine as we have an expert on finding slayers in this room." Wesley said as the rest of the group turned its gaze to Spike  
  
"What? I'm not going to feed on each of them till I find her! And I'm NOT going to sniff for the scent either! I'm not a bloody blood hound!" Spike exclaimed  
  
"Why don't you just test their strength or something." Anya said mumbling  
  
"Or we could but them up against Angel and Spike, have the two fight to their best ability but not kill the girls." Oz said speaking up after remaining silent throughout the first exchanges.  
  
"Where's that son of yours fang face? He could help this go a lot faster." Xander said staring at Angel  
  
The door slammed right as Xander spoke.  
  
"I'm right here." Connor replied  
  
~*~ Review!!!!!!!!!!! The song at the top BTW is Called Miss Independent. It's a song off Kelly Clarkson's new album. due out April 15th.~*~ 


	16. Ex's

~*~ The More you guys review the faster the chapters come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~*~  
  
The group looked up at the boy. He didn't look as though he had been crying but he looked angry.  
  
"It's almost dark." Giles said. "Spike and Angel should be okay to go outside in a few minute. Willow go outside and inform the potentials what is going on. How's Erin? Is she still sleeping?" He asked remembering the aching potential.  
  
"Actually, she's downstairs training." Spike said.  
  
"No I'm not I'm right here. What's going on?" Erin asked entering the room.  
  
Giles explained what was going on as everyone else made their way to the backyard. As the two entered the yard they saw Spike, Angel, and Connor standing at different places in the yard with potentials standing around. Giles went over and stood near Spike, while Willow watched Angel's group and Wesley watched Connor's. Erin stood watching and waiting for her turn as each potential went through and failed miserably. Kennedy stepped up in front of Angel and looked completely confident that she was the new slayer. The confidence was knocked out of her when she attempted to swing at Angel and he blocked the shot and threw her a few feet.  
  
The other potentials laughed lightly when they saw Kennedy fail. Everyone had gone except Erin.  
  
"There's no way I'm going to hit my Uncle." She exclaimed standing there.  
  
"It's okay Erin. You don't have to do any of this since you're still recovering." Willow said smiling.  
  
"Yea it's not like you could handle it even if you weren't recovering." Connor said turning all heads toward him.  
  
"I'm fine Willow really." Erin said walking over to Connor. "Time for you to put you're foot in your mouth." She said swinging and catching Connor's check in a hook.  
  
Connor looked startled but shook it off and went to attack back. Erin blocked the punch and kicked him in the stomach knocking the wind out of him.  
  
"Oh COME ON! Get up! Where's this super strength you've claimed to have." Erin yelled  
  
Connor jumped up and returned Erin's comment with a blow in her face knocking her backwards. She smashed into the fence. "That's going to hurt in the morning." She mumbled getting up and advancing on Connor again.  
  
"You think that you can just lead me on don't you?" Connor said pushing Erin to the ground.  
  
Erin used both feet and kicked Connor of balance as she jumped back up. "I was half awake do you not understand the fact that I was barely conscious?" Erin screamed  
  
Connor regained his balance. His inside was screaming with rage as he ran at Erin. She jumped into the air and executed a kick to his face as he came at her.  
  
She stood over him and smiled. "Game, set, match."  
  
"I don't think so." Connor replied using his feet to knock her legs out from under her. He rolled over and straddled her with anger in his eyes. "I never lose." He said simply and started hitting Erin over and over and over again.  
  
Spike flashed back to that night in the alley when Buffy had beaten him to a bloody pulp. 'She's human! She can't withstand that!' Spike thought. He was about to go over and pull Connor off when he saw Erin close her eyes and catch Connor's next blow. She twisted his arm and pushed him off her. Bleeding at different spots on her face she turned away from Connor and walked towards Spike.  
  
"Can we go get me some ice please?" she whispered to him as he put his arm around her and the two walked into the house.  
  
"Well looks like we found her." Xander said breaking the silence.  
  
Angel walked over to his son and helped him up. "You beat her." Angel said with a look of disdain on his face.  
  
"No she won." Connor said obviously not understanding.  
  
"No you beat her Connor. You hit her and hit her like she was a demon." Angel said  
  
"She hit me!" Connor yelled  
  
"You were supposed to fight not try to kill her!" Cordelia said wrapping her arms around Angel.  
  
"I wasn't trying to. . . I didn't want to. . . " Connor said racing off into the house.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Erin was sitting at the island in the kitchen with ice on her forehead Spike sitting next to her.  
  
Connor burst into the house and saw what he had done. "Oh my God Erin are you okay?!" He asked walking over to touch her face.  
  
"Don't touch me." Erin said vehemently  
  
Connor frowned and left the room. The sound of the basement door closing was heard and Erin sighed. Tears began to form in her eyes and then she began to cry unstoppably.  
  
"Hey now what's wrong?" Spike asked  
  
"I just wish I was back at home living my normal life. I'm never going to get to do what I wanted to do with my life." Erin said through tears. "Everyone said that I was the next Britney Spears with a voice and clothing."  
  
Spike laughed at the comment.  
  
"And I know that not everything was perfect in my life but it was what I was familiar with. Now I'm here and I have no friend. I mean sure I was the only one of them boyfriend less but I had reasons for that." Erin said attempting to stifle the crying.  
  
"Luv dry your tears the others are coming in. Don't want them to see the slayer crying." Spike said handing her a tissue.  
  
"With Buffy and Faith out we still need to patrol." Giles said walking into the kitchen with the others in tow.  
  
"Alright so here's what we're gonna do." Spike said standing up. "Angel and Connor will take one side of town, Erin and I will take the other."  
  
"Where is he?" Angel asked  
  
"Basement." Erin replied.  
  
Angel quickly got Connor and loaded up on weapons as did Erin and Spike. The four were about the leave the house when Dawn came running down the stairs. "Erin wait!" She stood in front of Erin with a cross necklace in her hand. Spike gave Dawn a questioning look. "Something I have left over from my klepto days."  
  
"Thanks Dawn." Erin said hugging her friend and putting it on.  
  
"Be careful." Dawn said to them as she hugged Spike.  
  
"You're in charge of the house bit." Spike said smiling as the four exited and they parted ways.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"I waited till I saw the sun  
  
Don't know why I didn't come  
  
Left you by the house of fun  
  
Don't know why I didn't come."  
  
Erin sang as she and Spike went through their 3rd quite cemetery.  
  
"Getting bored aren't you?" He replied laughing  
  
"Nah not really. Better than being cooped up in the house." Erin said laughing  
  
Suddenly she stopped in her tracks and looked around. "I'm getting a really bad feeling."  
  
"I'm sensing something too 'rin." Spike said searching the surroundings.  
  
"I spy with my little eye my Spikey with a l'ttle girl." Dru's voice sounded as she stepped out of the bushes with Harmony in tow.  
  
"Don't have your precious slayer to protect you now Spike now do you?!" Harmony exclaimed.  
  
"Dru? Harm? You two are friends?" Spike asked surprisingly  
  
"The stars tell me secrets Spikey. They're chirping in my ear. You've finally gotten the slayer that you've been swimming in. But you're still dark. . . I can see it. You said I'd always be your dark princess. Come back to mommy." Dru said  
  
"No that's alright but thanks for the offer." Spike said grabbing Erin's arm and started to turn around when the sound of a crossbow loading made him turn back around.  
  
"We're not giving you a choice Spike. You join us, or die." Harmony yelled.  
  
"If you even try I'll kill you." Erin said speaking up.  
  
"Hi l'ttle girlie come here." Dru said motioning for Erin to go to her.  
  
"Don't look into her eyes Erin." Spike said.  
  
Erin stood her ground. "I'm sorry I don't associate with psychotic vampires."  
  
Drusillia growled. "Fire!" But before Harmony could get a chance to comprehend what the elder vamp had just said Erin launched herself onto her.  
  
"Who do you think you are? A Buffy clone?" Harmony yelled as Erin delivered the first blow.  
  
"Close, but no cigar." Erin said receiving a punch to her face by the blonde. "I'm the new slayer."  
  
"Oh you're poor Buffy died? Or was it that nice l'ttle girl that helped the mayor kill all those yummy people." Drusillia asked Spike  
  
"No one is dead. But you don't have the luck of facing the slayer. You get me. But I promise love I'll make this as little painful as I can." Spike said kicking his ex-lover in the face.  
  
"A slayer? Spike is so not worth dying over! I've got so much more clothing to steal!" Harmony said running away as Erin began to laugh.  
  
Dru and Spike however did not hear what had just happened. They were too focused on the fight.  
  
"I don't want to kill you Dru, please just leave and don't come back." Spike said as she got up.  
  
"You think you can kill me? It'll be you that will die." Dru replied  
  
"Please Dru I don't want to kill you." Spike said again. Erin could see the pain in his eyes as she walked up behind Drusillia and pulled her stake back.  
  
Spike would never forget the look on Dru's face when Erin plunged the stake into her back. He watched as if it were in slow motion as his ex-lover turned into dust and blew away in the wind.  
  
Spike fell to his knees eyes beginning to fill with tears. Erin knelt down and simply wrapped her arms around him as he cried.  
  
"She was the first person to tell me that she loved me 'sides my mum. Made me what I am." Spike told Erin  
  
"I'm sorry but I had to she would've killed you!" She exclaimed  
  
"I know. I couldn't do it though. I just couldn't." Spike got up pulling Erin up with him. He brushed the dirt off his knees and looked at his niece. "Thanks."  
  
"Hey what's family for?" Erin smiled as the two walked to their next destination.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"She kissed me father what am I supposed to do pretend it was nothing?!" Connor exclaimed to Angel. Their patrol had been completely quite.  
  
"No, but you didn't have to beat her about the head either." Angel replied  
  
"But the things she said to me!" Connor said frowning.  
  
"I thought you didn't have a thing for her?" Angel asked  
  
"I don't!" Connor rebutted  
  
"Well if you didn't, the things she said wouldn't have hurt you as much as they did." Angel answered.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Willow and Oz had been spending more and more time with each other since his return to the Scooby gang. Tonight was no different. The two were cuddled up in the family room watching "Dirty Dancing" along with Xander, Cordy, and Anya.  
  
"This is like high school again." Xander exclaimed. "The old gang, hanging out, well except Anya wasn't really part of the gang."  
  
"Ah the good old days when I didn't have visions, I wasn't in love with a vampire and I spent the whole day making out in a closet with Xan. . . " Cordelia stopped herself before it was too late.  
  
"Yea and I was the geek, well I still am but hey not complaining anymore!" Willow said.  
  
"Well I fell in love with that geek so don't knock the meekness." Oz said and then whispered to Willow, "I'm still in love with that geek."  
  
Willow looked up at Oz. She had been so confused about everything. What about Tara? She was gay. Or was she? She didn't know what she was anymore. All she knew was that Oz was back and she felt like a giddy teenager again. Willow picked her head up and kissed Oz lightly on the lips. He smiled his trademark smile and leaned in to her as they began to kiss more feverantly.  
  
Xander, Anya, and Cordelia looked on in utter amazement. Anya looked at her ex fiancé. "I miss that Xander. Lets make out now."  
  
"Anya!" Xander yelled.  
  
"Momentary laps of judgment." Anya said quickly placing her eyes back on the TV screen.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Buffy watched the flashback being able to predict everything that was going to happen.  
  
"Buffy, your forgot your stake. The only thing I can think of is that you're building a really tiny fence." Xander said handing Buffy her stake.  
  
'That's my first day at Sunnydale High! Do I have to go through the past 7 years?!' Buffy thought.  
  
There was quickly a flash to a back alley.  
  
"Lets just say I'm a friend." Angel said  
  
"We'll maybe I don't want a friend." Buffy said  
  
"Didn't say I was yours." Angel replied  
  
Flash *  
  
"I have no air!" Angel yelled  
  
Flash *  
  
"What happens on Saturday?" Buffy asked  
  
"I kill you." Spike replied  
  
Buffy stared at the scenes that were flashing by and sighed. 'Buffy Summer's this is your life.' She thought remembering what she had said to Xander a week before.  
  
~*~ The song used in this chapter was Norah Jones "Don't Know Why" PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Two chapters in a day. aren't I good? LoL ~*~ 


	17. Interlude 2

~*~ Please review. Just to clarify from the last chapter, I don't know about some of you but I missed Willow and Oz together so classify her anyway you wish but that's how this story is going. Just to let everyone know there will be a Buffy Spike moment in this chapter. I don't go into detail this is PG 13! ~*~  
  
"I swear I'm fine will you please just let me go!" Faith exclaimed angrily at the nurse. When the nurse shook her head and turned around Faith knew there was only one thing to do. "Sorry 'bout this." She said as she knocked the nurse over the head with the IV stand.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Well that was interesting to say the least." Erin said as she and Spike made their way down Buffy's street. Spike laughed at her comment and then saw her face fall as he saw Angel and Connor making their way up the Summer's walkway.  
  
"Anything?" Angel asked as he saw the two come up the walk.  
  
Spike looked at Angel wondering what he was going to say about his childe's death. "She killed Dru."  
  
"Who killed Dru?" Angel asked with the look of hurt flashing into his eyes.  
  
"I did." Erin said quietly knowing the pain that still filled her Uncle. Placing her hand on her head she whipped off semi dry blood that was plastered on her face from Harmony's only blow.  
  
Connor stared on concerned.  
  
Angel looked at Spike, all the hatred towards him had been slowly melting away. "You okay?"  
  
"'m alright." Spike said. "Just need some rest."  
  
Erin and Spike made their way into the house as Angel and Connor headed towards the car to head back to the hotel.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Not soon after the two had entered the house and were bombarded by questions of the occupants of the living room, they heard the door open and close again.  
  
"Hey guys did I miss anything interesting?" Faith asked smiling standing in her hospital outfit.  
  
"Faith!" The whole room exclaimed.  
  
Giles heard the commotion and quickly came into the room. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Five by five." Faith replied then glanced around the room gaze stopping on Erin "Christ what happened to you?!"  
  
Giles looked at the slayer. "You died briefly Faith."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
As Angel started the ignition to the car, Gunn, Fred, Cordelia, Lorne, and Wesley piled into the car as the radio blasted. Connor slouched back into the seat listening to the song.  
  
-  
  
Feels like you're making a mess  
  
You're hell on wheels in a black dress  
  
You drove me to the fire  
  
And left me there to burn  
  
Every little thing you do is tragic  
  
All my life before was magic  
  
Beautiful girl  
  
I can't breathe  
  
I got a disease  
  
Deep inside me  
  
Makes me feel uneasy baby  
  
I can't live without you  
  
Tell me what I am supposed to do about it  
  
Keep your distance from it  
  
Don't pay no attention to me  
  
I got a disease  
  
-  
  
Cordelia reached up and placed a hand on Connor's shoulder knowing what he was feeling.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Buffy looked bored. She was on her 6th year in Sunnydale. She had seen herself sacrifice herself and then be brought back from the dead by her friends.  
  
"Okay I get it!" She yelled but another flash and the scene where whatever had come because of Buffy being back from the dead. She saw Willow casting a spell to make it solid so Buffy could kill it. And then something clicked. She knew what she had to do.  
  
Without any notice there was another flash but instead of showing another scene Buffy found herself in her dinning room. "Dawnie?" She called out.  
  
Dawn ran into the room at the sound of Buffy's voice and flung her arms around her. Spike hearing the voice also came into the room and saw his love. As Dawn pulled away from Buffy Spike went in and kissed Buffy. It was as if they had been apart for days. Buffy broke the kiss and whispered into his ear. "Bedroom, now, can't wait any longer."  
  
Spike smiled as the two dashed up the stairs and closed the door. Dawn laughed as the two flew by Erin who was coming in to see what was going on. "What was that? An in house tornado?"  
  
"Lets just put it this way. If Spike wasn't a vampire we'd have a bunch of mini Buffy's and Spike's running around." Dawn replied as the two made their way up to Dawn's bedroom.  
  
"Do you have earplugs?" Erin asked  
  
"Why?" Dawn replied with an odd look on her face.  
  
"Because I have a feeling those two are going to be loud." Erin said laughing.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
A few hours later Buffy lay asleep in Spikes arms. He smiled stroking her hair. They had just made love for the first time. Not fucked like they had down all last year. It was nothing but complete and utter love shared between the two.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Erin looked at the clock. It was 2:30 am but she couldn't sleep. "Dawn you still awake?"  
  
"Mhmmm." Dawn replied from the bed.  
  
"Can I talk to you about something?" Erin asked.  
  
"Sure. Talk away." Dawn sat up so she could see her.  
  
"It's about Connor." The new slayer replied  
  
"I thought that you said that was a mistake." Dawn said while yawning  
  
"It was I think, I dunno. I don't know what to think anymore. I mean 2 weeks ago I was this normal girl and then boom I'm here and the first thing that happens when I'm here is this guy hitting on me. . . atleast I think he was." Erin babbled  
  
"What's wrong with that?" Dawn asked.  
  
"It's just, I've been hurt so many times. I mean, my first boyfriend cheated on me with six other girls! And the next two cheated on me as well. It's just like anytime I date someone or for lack of a better word fall I love with someone they hurt me." Erin went on.  
  
"Are you saying you're falling in love with Connor?" Dawn attempted to look surprised though she wasn't.  
  
"Yes, No, I don't know I just met him. But he's different ya know? It wouldn't be good because I'd just get hurt again." Erin said  
  
"But you don't know that do you? Things could work out fine." Dawn replied  
  
"I tried to think that way, but even if he wouldn't cheat, I don't want to be with someone who'll abuse me, whether I'm a slayer or not. You saw what he did to me!" Erin exclaimed.  
  
"Yea but I also heard some of what you said to him." Dawn answered  
  
"It just doesn't seem safe. Dawn his parents are vampires!" Erin replied  
  
"You sound like Buffy." Dawn said sighing. "Goodnight."  
  
"Night." Erin said laying back down and closing her eyes.  
  
~*~ This is a shorter one since I wrote two yesterday! Please review. I'm starting to think that you guys don't like my story anymore! Let me know what you're thinking. The song used in this chapter is Disease by Matchbox 20  
  
Coming up: The saga of Erin and Connor continues, Willow and Oz decide to give things a shot again, Buffy and Spike encounter troubles when the gang finds out about the principles connection to slayers and Spike (yes I'm putting wood in!), Kennedy, upset by Willow and Oz's relationship runs off, Buffy talks to Giles about what she believes will help destroy the first. Angel and Cordelia go too far, Gunn and Fred grow farther apart, all hell breaks loose when and alley turns foe again. 


	18. Leave of Absence

~*~ All these wonderful reviews pouring in are making me want to just keep writing! Keep up the reviews guys! You honestly make me write more!~*~  
  
Willow awoke to the feel of arms wrapped around her. It was familiar to her and comforting. She turned her head and saw Oz fast asleep. 'We must have fallen asleep watching TV.' She thought. She smiled and carefully slipped out of his arms and went into the kitchen to make breakfast for everyone. As the bacon was frying Kennedy came flying through the kitchen door.  
  
"Hi!" Willow said cheerfully as she got out the ingredients for pancake batter.  
  
"Oh I'm sorry am I supposed to be talking to you? I mean there's the whole leading me on and dropping me like a stick when you meet up with your ex boyfriend." Kennedy replied obviously still hurting.  
  
"Look, Kennedy I'm sorry it's just." Willow was interrupted as Kennedy began to leave the house.  
  
"Where are you going?" Willow asked  
  
"Out." Kennedy spated before she slammed the door.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Buffy was the first one to wake. She took the time to soak everything in going over Spikes features. A smile crept on his face as he opened his eyes slightly.  
  
"You gonna stare at me all day?" he asked  
  
"I could stay like this forever." Buffy replied  
  
"So could I luv, so could I." Spike gathered her into his arms and kissed her passionately. Pulling back he gazed into her eyes smiling. "'Cor I love you."  
  
"I love you too Spike. Please, make love to me again." She said almost begging.  
  
Before anything could get started, there was a knock on the door.  
  
"Who's there?" Buffy yelled.  
  
"It's me!" Dawns voice came from the other side of the door.  
  
Spike and Buffy quickly covered themselves up.  
  
"Come in but close the door behind you." Buffy said  
  
Dawn came in and smiled at the two, however that smile quickly turned into a frown. "We have a situation."  
  
"What's wrong bit?" Spike asked  
  
"It's Erin, she's gone." Dawn replied  
  
"What do you mean she's gone?!" Spike screamed  
  
"I don't know! I woke up this morning and she wasn't there and the window was open." Dawn replied looking hurt that Spike had yelled at her.  
  
"Bloody hell it's daylight I can't go out and look for her!" Spike said with concern reigning over his face.  
  
"Don't worry I'll go look for her." Buffy said as Dawn left the room and Buffy got up to get change. She quickly threw on a pair of jeans and a white tank top and headed out the door. "I'll find her." She said to Spike before leaving.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Erin sat on the sand tossing bits of shells and rock into the ocean. She had been there since 3:00, after she finished a second round of patrolling that is. She sighed, watching the waves roll in as the sun rose higher in the sky. Closing her eyes, she let the sun soak into her. She was too busy with all the thoughts running through her head that she didn't hear the swish sound that sand makes when it is being walked upon.  
  
"Thinking about him aren't you?" Buffy's voice came out of nowhere startling Erin.  
  
"How did you know?" she asked as Buffy came and sat down next to her.  
  
"It's a slayer thing. We can handle the apocalypse but when it comes to guys we're a complete mess." Buffy replied smiling  
  
"So you heard, about Faith that is." Erin responded staring at a seashell that she had picked up.  
  
"Yeah, I did. It's amazing what you miss when you're in another dimension." Buffy said attempting to make Erin laugh. "I also heard about the fight."  
  
"Which one? The one where I killed my Uncle's ex girlfriend or the one where I got my face beat in." Erin harshly stated.  
  
"As you so eloquently put it, the one where you got your face beat in." Buffy answered. "Ya know last year was a really rough year for me, but amazingly enough Spike was there for me through everything. We started getting umm.. intimate. There was this one time though that these annoying geeks tried to make me think that I killed a girl. A human girl. Spike tried to stop me from confessing, but you know what I did?"  
  
"You confessed?" Erin answered  
  
"No. I beat Spike to a bloody pulp." Buffy replied looking at Erin to see her reaction. It wasn't as bad as she expected however you did look angry.  
  
"The thing is," Buffy continued "is that I spent all of last year telling myself that I didn't love Spike. That I couldn't love him because he was a soulless vampire. We had this one last um fight and he left. I felt so empty without him. I guess you don't really know what you've got till it's gone. And then he came back with a soul. He got a soul for me because he didn't want to hurt me anymore. Wanted to be what I deserved. But the thing is, any physical pain he inflicted on me, I deserved. I did nothing but emotionally abuse him. I'd lead him on and then I'd call him a monster."  
  
"So are you trying to say that what Connor did was okay just because I was basically non coherent when I kissed him?" Erin's voice sounded like that of someone who was going to cry and scream at the same time.  
  
"You wouldn't have kissed him, coherent or not, if you didn't want to." Buffy replied  
  
"Buffy, look at me, his parents are VAMPIRES." Erin said matter-o-factly  
  
"Spike's a vampire and you love him." Buffy replied  
  
"That's different, it's the way you'd love your father. He's the only thing I've got now." Erin said somberly  
  
"Sure the love is different but you don't care that he's a vampire do you." Buffy answered  
  
"He killed two slayers Buffy." Erin stated  
  
"I know, but he's good now, you know it too." Buffy again defending Spike  
  
"I know." Erin said simply  
  
"So let me get this straight, you don't want anything to do with Connor because you think he's some evil being because Angel and Darla are his parents?" Buffy said going over everything that had been said.  
  
"Pretty much." Erin replied.  
  
"You really are like me." Buffy said laughing. "Look, at least give him a chance okay?"  
  
"I'll think about it. Can we go back to your house now? I really need a shower." Erin said.  
  
Buffy laughed. "Definitely like me."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The gang had decided to take a day of rest and light research. Faith was still recovering and Angel's gang decided to hang out at the hotel for the day.  
  
"I'm going out!" Erin yelled grabbing her jacket and opening the door.  
  
"Take this." Dawn said tossing Erin her cell phone.  
  
"Thanks Dawn!" Erin said leaving.  
  
"Hey. Where'd Erin go?" Buffy asked as she entered the foyer.  
  
"I don't know, but I think I have an idea." Dawn replied  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Connor are you sure you don't want to play? It's bull! Come on it's all about lying." Angel said trying to get his son to join the gang. They had all gathered into Fred and Cordelia's room.  
  
"Yea and that's something you're really good at." Gunn mumbled  
  
"No that's okay." Connor replied looking up from a book that he had brought with him.  
  
The gang was in their third round when a knock sounded at the door. Fred stood up stuffing a potato chip in her mouth and answered the door.  
  
"Hi Fred. Umm, is Connor here?" The sound of Erin's voice came floating into the room  
  
"Yea uh, Connor?" Fred said turning around to see the boy had already gotten up.  
  
"I'm coming." He said going through the door and out on the balcony.  
  
The two walked a few feet away from the door and stood in silence for a couple of moments.  
  
"So have you come to yell at me again?" Connor asked  
  
"No, Connor. Look, I came to tell you that I'm sorry." Erin replied looking up at him.  
  
"What that you're sorry that you kissed me? Or sorry that you decided lead me on and drop me." Connor said angrily. "Because I don't want. . . "  
  
Connor was cut off by Erin who closed the gap between the too and kissed him. Connor pulled back in disbelief. Looking into Erin's eyes he smiled slightly then leaned in again. The kisses were light at first, but then began to become desperate as if they had been apart for years.  
  
Gunn, Fred, and Cordy had slowly stuck their heads out the door during the conversation while Lorne, Wesley and Angel stayed in the room.  
  
Connor slowly led Erin to the room, which he and Angel shared. Fumbling through his pocket for the key while keeping the two connected he successfully got the room open and lead Erin inside closing the door.  
  
"That's my man!" Gunn said proud of Connor for his slick move.  
  
Angel had heard the door close. "Did I just hear my hotel door close without hearing screaming from the two of them?"  
  
"What you really mean is are Erin and Connor in a hotel room together alone. And the answer is, yes." Cordelia responded.  
  
"What?!" Angel screamed not thinking and starting to head out the door into broad daylight. Cordelia grabbed his arm and stopped him.  
  
"Angel, he's 18, you can't keep telling him how to live his life." Cordelia said trying to reason with him. "Plus you don't even know what's going on."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Connor had lead Erin to his bed when she pulled away from him.  
  
"It's too soon." She said to him.  
  
"Whatever you want is fine with me." Connor said smiling.  
  
"Just hold me, please." Erin said. The two sat on the bed, Connor's arms around Erin, watching TV.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Gunn was happy that he had acquired his own hotel room. With Wesley and Lorne sharing one and Fred and Cordy another, he had been left with the single room that would undoubtedly be a snore free zone. He was happier however that this meant he and Fred could spend some quality time together.  
  
Lying in bed, Gunn looked at his girlfriend who was fast asleep and smiled, trying not to remember how she had been so distant for awhile after he had killed her old professor. As he began to grow tired himself he kissed her lightly on the forehead and let his eyelids close.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"They're been in there for almost the whole day!" Angel exclaimed  
  
"Angel you can't just barge in there!" Cordelia replied  
  
Slipping the key into the lock Angel opened the door expected the worst but instead found the two cuddled on Connor's bed, fast asleep.  
  
"See, I told you!" Cordelia responded in her no it all voice.  
  
"Ummm Cordy can I stay with you tonight?" He asked  
  
"Sure. Might be a little creepy for them if they wake up and see you drinking blood and walking around naked." Cordelia said laughing as they headed to her room.  
  
"I don't sleep naked!" Angel protested  
  
As the two entered the room Cordy quickly went and grabbed pajamas heading for the shower. "I'll be out in a few."  
  
Angel took this time to get his bed ready. Although he was a vampire, all the excitement from the previous days had worn him out.  
  
A few minutes later the bathroom door opened and Cordeila emerged. Angel couldn't help but look her over. Wearing boxers and a white tank she smiled and headed over to her bed.  
  
"Cordy?" Angel said making her walk over to him.  
  
"Yes Angel?" she replied  
  
"Thanks for being here and ya know keeping me cool." He replied.  
  
"No problem. It's what I do." Cordelia replied as she gazed into his eyes.  
  
Angel closed the gap between the two and captured Cordelia's lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he laid her on his bed without breaking the kiss. Taking one hand away her quickly turned off the light and then began kissing her more passionately.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
2 hours later.  
  
Flying up in bed Angel felt it. He hadn't thought. He knew what he had done, and now someone was going to pay for it. He quickly ran out of the room. He kept running until he found something familiar to his past. He smiled walking into the mansion. His face morphed as he entered remembering when he had almost succeeded in ending the world.  
  
"I'll have my chance again." He said out loud.  
  
"Yes you will." Came a voice from behind him.  
  
Turning around he saw a familiar face, and yet it wasn't them. Behind the façade of Darla, the First entered the mansion. "Welcome home, Angelus."  
  
~*~ So what do ya'll think? Some of you didn't want me to make Connor suffer any longer so I gave in. I love the advice I get from you guys so keep it coming. Oh and don't worry bout bringing Wood in. In MY version of season 7 Buffy has no interest in him what so ever! REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~*~ 


	19. Rehashing

~*~ Thanks for the wonderful feedback again guys! Keep it coming!!!!!!!!~*~  
  
Cordelia rolled over and felt the absence with her hand. A few seconds later her mind unfogged and she realized what had happened. Throwing on her pajamas quickly she ran over to Connor's room to see if he was okay.  
  
"Connor!" She yelled as she busted through the door using Angels key he had left.  
  
"Cordy, what's wrong?" Connor asked groggily as he woke up and lightly moved Erin as to not wake her.  
  
"It's Angel, he's ummm."  
  
"Oh my god you didn't." Connor exclaimed. "How could be so stupid."  
  
"How could who be so stupid." Erin said opening one eye. "Oh hi Cordy nice Pajam. . . HOLY SHIT! My Uncle must be worried sick!"  
  
"I think we have some larger problems than the emotionally instability of William the Bloody." Cordelia said yelling at the slayer.  
  
"What's up your ass?" Erin said back.  
  
"You mean what was up her ass." Connor corrected her.  
  
"Oh my god I so didn't need to hear that from your mouth." Cordelia replied. "Look Erin, Angel is gone."  
  
"Well I'm sure he'll be back soon." Erin replied rolling her eyes.  
  
"No, he's not gone gone, you see he may have possibly had his moment of happiness and is now Angelus again." Cordy explained.  
  
"He slept with Buffy? Spike let him?" Erin answered.  
  
"NO he slept with ME." Cordelia screamed.  
  
"Oh Christ. So much for a calm evening. Don't call the others yet, they deserve a break. I'll handle this one." Erin replied grabbing her purse, which contained her stake and some holy water.  
  
"You can't handle him yourself Erin. You're a new slayer. We're talking about a vampire with years of experience on torturing and killing." Wesley's voice came from behind them. "I heard the yelling, wanted to make sure everyone was okay." He glanced briefly at Cordelia and shook his head slightly.  
  
"What's going on?" Gunn's whisper sweeping through the air.  
  
"Angelus." Cordelia replied head down and tears forming in her eyes.  
  
"Alright this is what we need to do." Erin replied starting to come up with a game plan.  
  
"Who died and made you boss." Connor said not even thinking of the time they had spent together that day.  
  
"Faith." Erin said simply. "Now this is what we need to do. Connor and Gunn check graveyards, mausoleums, and crypts, anything that he would hide in. Wesley and I will check out abandoned houses incase he has gone Dracula on us." They all nodded agreeing with the sudden yet smart control Erin was taking. "Lorne." She said looking at the demon. "I need you to call Willow. You, Fred, Cordy, and her need to work the soul spell as fast as you can."  
  
"It's like she's been a slayer forever." Gunn whispered to Fred who giggled. "Maybe they're born bossy."  
  
"Make sure you make Willow promise not to tell anyone about what's going on, especially Buffy. They need a break." Erin said then looked to Wes. "You ready watcher?"  
  
Erin and Wesley started to walk out the door when Connor stopped her. "Erin wait."  
  
"What?" She questioned.  
  
"Be careful." He said before leaning in and placing a kiss on her lips. He was quickly reminded of what had happened early and how good he had felt. Wrapping his arms around her he began to kiss her again until he felt her hands on his chest as to stop him.  
  
"I've got to go." Erin said and turned around starting to walk away. Turning around briefly. "If you find him, keep him alive."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"I'll get it!" Dawn yelled running into the kitchen. "Hello?"  
  
"Hi may I speak to Willow please sweets?" Lorne's voice came through the receiver loudly enough for Willow to here.  
  
"Hey Lorne what's up?" Willow said. Her face expressions changed once he began to fill her in on the situation. "Alright well I need to get some supplies and I have to find an Orb of Thessala. I'll see if there is one somewhere in the Magic Box's basement."  
  
"Don't tell the others. Erin wants them to have a day off." Lorne asked.  
  
"Don't worry I won't say a word." Willow said hanging up the receiver.  
  
"Won't say a word about what Wills?" Buffy said as the witch turned around.  
  
"Oh nothing." Willow said attempting to put her poker face on.  
  
"Willow what is going on?" Buffy asked again.  
  
"And why do you need an Orb of Theresa?" Dawn asked whom had heard the complete conversation.  
  
"Dawnie that's the Orb of ThessaOMYGOD!" Buffy screamed.  
  
"What's going on?" Spike asked as the entered the kitchen.  
  
"Angelus is back." Willow replied. Spike's gaze quickly changed to Buffy.  
  
"Don't look at me I was with you all night!" Buffy replied.  
  
"Where's Erin?" Spike suddenly asked.  
  
"You don't think she and. . ." Buffy started.  
  
"Oh come on guys! Why would she sleep with Angel when she's in love with his son?!" Dawn replied.  
  
Willow and Buffy started at each other with the same look of utter confusion. "Cordy." They both said at the same time.  
  
"We need to get out there and find him before the sun goes down." Buffy exclaimed  
  
"Buffy no, Erin wanted everyone here to rest. Now I'm just going to perform the spell. Plus right now Erin and the rest are out looking for him." Willow answered.  
  
"She bloody well isn't if I have anything to say about it!" Spike exclaimed. Grabbing a blanket and throwing it over his head he hurried out the door mumbling about different tunnels that he could go through.  
  
"Be care. . . " The door slammed as Buffy spoke. ". . . ful."  
  
"Hey B, what's shakin'?" Faith said walking into the kitchen and grabbing an apple.  
  
"Angelus is back." Buffy replied.  
  
"B you didn't! I though you and blondie were. . . " Buffy cut Faith off.  
  
"I didn't sleep with him!" Buffy screamed.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"So you and Erin huh?" Gunn said to Connor trying to strike up a conversation. "What did you two do all night?"  
  
"Nothing, we just slept." Connor said as his face grew red.  
  
"Yeah right! Come on tell me the truth it's not like I'll tell Angel or anything." Gunn said trying to pry out more information.  
  
"We kissed, a lot, but that was it." Connor replied  
  
"Alright. So what exactly are we supposed to do with Angelus if we find him?" Gunn asked as the two pried open their 3rd crypt.  
  
"I don't know. Sit on him?" Connor replied as the two started laughing. Ever since Erin came into his life Connor seemed more social able. Something that Angel would be happy about if he wasn't in his current state of alter ego ness.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Remind me again why you are making me go through these tunnels? Are you trying to give me a permanent repellant of all human beings?!" Erin asked  
  
"Because I highly doubt Angelus is going to travel during the day with a blanket over his head!" Wesley replied in a harsh whisper.  
  
Erin stopped in her steps and looked around.  
  
"What's wrong?" Wesley asked.  
  
"There's something coming." Erin replied as she pulled Wesley back into the shadows to hide.  
  
"Bloody hell poof and his bloody hell son. Better stay away from my niece or I'll bloody well kick his arse back to hell." Spike said walking through the sewers.  
  
However all Erin and Wesley heard was mumbling so when Spike was walking right past them she launched herself at him.  
  
"Bloody hell what are you doing?" Spike yelled and then realized it was Erin. "Where the hell have you been?! You don't actually think you can handle Angelus yourself." Spike pulled Erin into a hug nodding his head at Wesley.  
  
"Uh Spike, I need to breath." Erin choked out.  
  
"Oh yea sorry." Spike said letting her go.  
  
"As long as you're here you mine as well help us." Wesley replied.  
  
"You're bloody right I'm staying. I'm not letting him hurt her." Spike said angrily.  
  
"Oh I won't hurt her Spikey. I'll kill her but I won't hurt her." Angelus's voice came from behind them making the group jump.  
  
"It's three against one. Even you were never that stupid mate." Spike replied.  
  
"Make that there against two." Angelus said as a roar was heard behind them. Turning they saw an Ubervamp blocking the only escape route. "Meet my friend Ubey."  
  
"Oh shit." Erin said. "That things practically immortal!"  
  
"I got him." Spike said moving in on the Ubervamp.  
  
"Good. It's really time I do a slayer in after all these years don't you think?" Angelus said as he morphed.  
  
Wes made the first move attempting to sweep Angelus's feet out from under him, but he saw the move coming and jumped up kicking Wes in the face and sending him hard against the metal wall knocking him out. "One to go." Angel growled glaring at Erin.  
  
Angelus attempted to throw the first punch but Erin blocked it with her right arm and slammed her fist into his gut. As he roared slightly in the pain she had delivered she quickly took advantage and threw a right hook at his face. Jumping up into the air she went to kick him in the face but instead he grabbed her legs and swung her into the metal knocking her out immediately. Knowing that the slayer strength would have her awake quickly he grabbed her and ran off in the opposite direction of Spike who had just successfully beheaded the Ubervamp.  
  
All of Spikes instincts told him to run after him but he knew that Angel had too much of a head start. He crouched down and checked Wesley who had began to moan and attempt to get up. "Come on mate lets get you back to Buffy's and get you fixed up." Spike said supporting the watcher on his shoulder.  
  
"Where's Erin?" Wesley asked.  
  
"Angelus took her." Spike replied quietly.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Gunn and Connor were about to head back to the hotel when they noticed a sewer lid moving and the head of Wesley peak up. Running over they went to see what happened.  
  
"Where's Erin?!" Connor asked suddenly worried.  
  
"Angelus got her." Came Spikes voice from down the sewer. "Go tell Buffy. I need her and Faith. We have to get her before he kills her.  
  
"I'm coming too!" Connor said practically jumping down the hole.  
  
"Hurry!" Spike yelled up as the other two took off for Buffy's.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Buffy sighed as she walked up the stairs from training the girls to answer the doorbell, which had been ringing insistently. She opened it to find Gunn and Wesley standing there.  
  
"It's Erin." Wesley said right away. "Angelus has kidnapped her."  
  
Giles, Xander, Faith, and Oz had all walked into the room to see what was going on.  
  
Buffy turned around and looked at the gang. "Lets suit up." She said as the gang ran off and began to pack what they deemed important.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Waking up with a pounding headache was never anyone's favorite thing, but when you had no idea where you were, it was worse. As she opened her eyes the only thing she saw was a fire ablaze. Her surroundings were coming in and out of focus, but then she saw him.  
  
"Ah you're finally awake. Not as much fun to kill you when you're unconscious." Angelus said walking in front of her.  
  
"Angel, please don't." Erin said pleading for her life. She tired to move but realized that she had been chained to the wall.  
  
"It's about time I get to kill a slayer. Doesn't really count when the girl doesn't die now does it?" he said morphing from his human façade to the face that Erin has seen so rarely on Angel.  
  
Angelus moved in. She could feel his breath on her neck as he pushed aside her hair and tilted her neck to be in the perfect position to bit her. "Don't worry, this won't hurt. . . too much." Angelus said as he bit into her neck.  
  
"Noooooooo!!!" Erin screamed as he began to drink slowly in order to make it more painful.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
~*~ HAHAHAHAHAHA I'm evil!!!! LoL sorry I just HAD to stop there! Don't worry I'll update tomorrow so you won't be in suspense TOO long. Does she live or die? No one knows. I don't even know yet! HAHAHAHAHAHHAH. LOL anyway keep up the great reviews guys! You're the best!~*~ 


	20. Trouble With Thessala

~*~ Thanks for the great reviews! Sorry this took so long!!!! Keep reviewing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~*~  
  
"You know, you'd think that one would try to find another place after it's been visited by the slayer so many times." Came a voice from the door.  
  
Angelus let go of his grip on Erin and turned around showing his mouth red with her blood. "Buffy. Should've known you'd be here on your high horse sooner or later." He growled  
  
"Bloody hell!" Came a scream as Spike dashed into the mansion, smoke coming from his blanket. He saw Erin chained up to the wall. She was conscious but he had already started to feed.  
  
Erin looked around with glazed eyes as more and more of the Scoobies and the AI crew made their way into the hotel. She felt herself fading, everything began to turn black.  
  
"Erin!" Connor cried out as he came in just to see her obviously pass out. He screamed and lunged himself at his father, kicking and punching like a little child throwing a temper tantrum.  
  
Buffy and Spike joined into the fight as Wesley and Giles brought over the chains to hold Angelus.  
  
Oz and Xander quickly went over to help Erin whom had come to briefly and passed out again. They quickly bandaged her up as Faith came over and broke the chains that were holding her hostage.  
  
"NOW!" Buffy yelled as she knocked Angel to the ground. Wesley and Giles came in with the chains as the two along with Spike and Buffy tied Angelus up.  
  
Once Angel was secure Spike ran over to Erin eyes watering with potential tears. "Come on Erin, you're a fighter luv. Wake up." He said stroking her head.  
  
Connor knelt on the floor over his father, feeling the disgust and hatred he had felt when he had sent him to a watery grave. He couldn't move, it seemed like he'd never be able to. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Xander. "It's okay, we stopped him."  
  
"How could he do such a horrible thing?" Connor asked, not tearing his eyes away from Angelus's body.  
  
"Well, as I see it, it's not as bad as when he snapped the neck of Giles's girlfriend." Xander replied, remembering what had happened to Miss Calender. "Plus he didn't tie her up and torture her like he did with others and I'm not helping am I."  
  
"It's okay." Connor replied still staring at his unconscious father.  
  
Erin moaned slightly and opened her eyes. She saw Spike with a tear running down his cheek and a smile plastered across his face. "Are you okay?" He asked  
  
"Yea, I'm fine I think." She tried to get up but ultimately gave in to the dizziness and lay back down.  
  
Connor heard Erin talking and quickly made his way over to her side. Leaning in he kissed her forehead. "You're okay." He said more reassuring himself than her.  
  
"I'm just fine, but don't I need to go the hospital or something." Erin asked  
  
"Slayer healing." Buffy replied as she wrapped her arms around a now standing Spike.  
  
"Lets get you home, this is no place for you to recover." Xander said looking around at the surroundings. "Only Angel would pick a place this run down." Then he glanced at Spike. "Well, with the exception of blood breath here."  
  
"Hey, watch it whelp!" Spike replied as he watched Connor reach down and scoop Erin into his arms.  
  
"What are we going to do about him?" Spike asked looking down at his grandsire.  
  
"I'll stay and watch him." Faith said.  
  
"Thanks Faith." Buffy replied. "We'll all come around before sundown just incase his new best friend decides to show up." Buffy picked up Spikes blanket and threw it over his head as they ran to his beat up Desoto that they had parked on a nearby street.  
  
Connor carefully lifted Erin into Oz's van, sitting down and allowing Erin to rest her head on his lap. He smiled and began stroking her hair.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"This is ridiculous!" Willow hollered "Why can I not find a damn orb!"  
  
"There's a shop back in L.A. that has one reserved for me." Cordelia said as she stared blankly at the wall of the Summer's home.  
  
Everyone stared at her.  
  
"Just incase he went evil again, DUH!" she spated  
  
"Well what are you waiting for?" Willow asked. "Grab the keys to Angels car and drive!"  
  
The bursting of the back door sounded throughout the house.  
  
"Erin? Is she back yet?" Spike said walking into the living room in which the attempt of the obtaining an orb was underway.  
  
"Not as of yet." Lorne replied  
  
"Where's Dawn?" Buffy asked  
  
"Downstairs with the potentials. I think she's trying to keep them calm, if that's possible." Fred answered.  
  
"Where is that bloody git and the werewolf?" Spike said angrily pacing back and forth.  
  
"Relax they'll be here soon." Buffy said, as sure enough a few seconds later Oz's van pulled up. Opening the door Buffy went outside to see how Erin was doing. "How are you doing?" She asked looking at the girl in Connor's arms.  
  
"I'm fine." Erin replied as Connor quickly carried her into the house and up the stairs.  
  
Spike went dashing up the stairs behind the two to check on her. "Erin are you okay?" He asked coming in and beginning to sit down.  
  
"Go away." She said sternly.  
  
"What?" Spike replied with a stunned look on his face.  
  
"Is that what it was like when you killed those slayers? Did you render them helpless like Angelus did me?" she asked with anger in her eyes.  
  
"That was. . . I've changed. Who told you about them anyway." Spike replied looking hurt.  
  
"Obviously you were planning on telling me NEVER. I found out in L.A. After Lorne read you." Erin harshly. "Now please just leave, I want to rest."  
  
Spike stood up somberly and exited the room. Connor began to follow his lead but Erin stopped him. "Where are you going?" She asked  
  
"But you said you wanted to rest." Connor protested  
  
"I didn't say I wanted you to leave me." Erin said. All the anger and bravery from her voice had been replaced with that of a scared child. "Stay with me please."  
  
Connor smiled and laid down on the bed next to her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.  
  
"I'm scared Connor." Erin whispered  
  
"Of what?" He asked, slightly confused.  
  
"I almost died there Connor! Angel tried to kill me!" Erin responded  
  
"That wasn't Angel, that was Angelus. Angel would never try to hurt you." Looking away he sighed remembering how he was taught that Angel was a bad person with or without the soul.  
  
"I don't want to die Connor." Erin whimpered tears beginning to stream down her cheeks.  
  
"I won't let anything happen to you, I promise." Connor replied carefully rolling her over to face him. She snuggled in and laid her head on his lap, closing her eyes, and began to drift off to sleep.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Do you actually think this is just some kind of coincidence that Angelus is suddenly back?" Buffy said to Giles  
  
"Well, it was Cordy's fault. It's not like the first went and screwed Angel." Xander replied.  
  
"Maybe Cordelia is the first." Anya added.  
  
"The first can't take corporeal form how many times do I have to emphasize that!" Giles answered.  
  
"Fine maybe it was just a coincidence, but what about Drusillia? She was back, well until Erin killed her but still." Buffy said still trying to get her point across.  
  
"Well she was bound to come back eventually once she got bored with boning that slime demon that she left me for." Spike said walking in the room and joining the conversation. Buffy looked at him. His features had changed from worry to hurt since he was upstairs.  
  
"What's wrong?' Buffy asked.  
  
"She hates me." Spike replied simply  
  
"Doesn't everyone?" Xander quipped  
  
"You're not helping Xander.' Buffy said glaring at her friend. "She doesn't hate you Spike, she loves you! You're the only thing that she has here!"  
  
"She found out bout the slayers." Spike said quietly.  
  
"Oooo." Buffy replied. "But you're different now, why would she hate you for that?"  
  
"Because of what peaches did." Spike said angrily.  
  
"Does dead boy ever not cause problems?" Xander asked.  
  
"Hey that's my somewhat boyfriend you're talking about so lay off!" Cordelia said smacking Xander in the arm as she walked in on the final part of the conversation.  
  
Lorne who had remained quiet in the corner suddenly stood up. "Buffy's right!" he announced.  
  
"Right about what exactly?" Giles asked.  
  
"This isn't a coincidence. Drusillia coming back, Angel losing his soul. I had this vision when I read Erin the one time while she was singing in her room. Connor and I were walking by but anyway, I saw destruction. I saw everything that had ever been killed or vanquished or what not come back. They were being regurgitated by the hellmouth." Lorne explained his theory.  
  
"And why pray tell did you not speak of this earlier?" Wesley asked.  
  
"I wasn't sure as to what it meant until now." Lorne replied  
  
"So everything that's ever been defeated is being brought back by the first?" Dawn asked with her eyes large with worry.  
  
Buffy saw the worry in her sister's eyes and one word came to mind. "Glory."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Angelus stirred from his short unconscious state. He tried to stand up but ultimately failed when he saw that he was chained to the wall, and completely covered with chains as well.  
  
"It's a about time creature of darkness." Faith said standing over him.  
  
"Faith. Ya know a few years ago I'd have been happy to see you while I was in my current state, but seeing as you decided to run with the side of good, you really are just a waste of space." Angelus started right away to attempt to get under Faith's skin.  
  
"He's right you know?" Came a voice from behind Faith. She knew that voice. It seemed so familiar. "I can't believe my girl decided to turn her back on the side that had embraced her."  
  
Faith turned around slowly and stared at the face of Richard Wilkins. "You're not real." Faith responded. "You're just the first trying to pull something on me."  
  
"Now really, could the first do this?" The Mayor asked pulling out a box and handing it to Faith. "Go on, open it."  
  
Faith slowly opened the box. Moving the tissue paper she unveiled it's contents. No sooner did she open it then it had gone crashing to the floor. "I don't want this. I'm on the side I belong now." Faith said as she stared at the knife that now lay on the floor.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
~*~ Alrighty. sorry it took so long guys but I've been really busy. Hopefully I'll get chapter 21 out soon. Keep reviewing and if you want updates on when this story is updated simply go to groups.yahoo.com/group/rinnysfanfiction/ ~*~ 


	21. Return

~*~ Thanks for the great reviews guys!!!!!!!!!! Keep reviewing PLEASE! I'm going to use some bits and pieces from the show.. I think that Caleb could be interesting so I will definitely use him as well. You'll know when I've used something from the show and twisted it to my liking hehe. BTW I forgot the name of whatever the girl whom Caleb caught and like hurt and sent then message through her to Buffy so bare with me! I'm making one up!.~*~  
  
Faith struggled with the decision that was laying before her. No matter how hard she tried, the will to turn to the "dark side" was still there. She slowly started backing away towards the door. "No." She said "No." She said again repeating it like a mental patient would. She turned and quickly ran off leaving the Mayer with Angelus.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"So everything that we've ever defeated is coming back?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"What are you still doing here?! Go get the Orb!" Willow yelled, in her Willowy way of course.  
  
"Well that just sucks." Anya said pounding her hand down on the table. "Ooo I broke a nail."  
  
"Does this mean Spike will lose his soul?" Buffy asked still staring with glazed eyes after the thought of Glory returning had hit her.  
  
"I don't think it much matters. Spike changed before he even had the soul." Giles replied smiling slightly at the vampire sitting over in the corner.  
  
Dawn stood looking out the window at the front yard. She saw someone running towards the house then realized who it was. "Uh guys, Faith's back."  
  
"What? She was supposed to stay with Angel." Wesley replied  
  
The door flung open as the breathless slayer entered.  
  
"Faith what happened?" Fred asked.  
  
"The Mayer. Is. Back." She said staring Buffy straight in the eye.  
  
"You'd think they'd at least have the common courtesy to come back in order." Xander quipped causing everyone to crack a smile.  
  
"Evil doesn't have common courtesy Xander." Anya said rolling her eyes at her ex fiancé.  
  
"What about the statue that Angel tried to use to suck the world into hell?" Xander asked. The group became silent as all eyes rested on Buffy. Quickly grabbing a sword from the weapons chest she set off running out the door towards the mansion.  
  
Dawn, whose gaze had been fixed on the front yard finally came back to reality, turned around, and looked at Giles. "What about Glory?" She asked quietly.  
  
Spike stood up and walked over wrapping Dawn in his arms in attempt to comfort her.  
  
"We kill Ben." Giles replied  
  
"We what?" Willow said in disbelief at the watchers suggestion.  
  
"That's why we never heard from her again. I killed Ben, therefore I killed her." Giles explained.  
  
"Oh. Well that doesn't sound too hard. It seems that The First is using all of these old demons in order to distract us from whatever its master plan is." Wesley said.  
  
"Has Buffy told anyone what she saw in the other dimension?" Giles asked looking at Spike who also shook his head as the rest did.  
  
The door slammed open and in came Buffy dragging what looked like a body bag behind her.  
  
"What the. . . " Gunn began right as Buffy unzipped the bag exposing Angels unconscious body. "oooooooooOOOOOOOOoooooooo"  
  
"Lets get him to the basement and chained up. Spike?" She said gesturing to the other end of the bag.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
After the two-got Angel chained they sat quickly on the cot, which had once been Spikes.  
  
"Buffy, why haven't you said anything about the other dimension?" Spike asked.  
  
"Because what I learned won't help us defeat The First, only hurt it. Plus it involves magick, and since we only have a recovering magickholic I don't think it's the best option." Buffy replied  
  
"Well I know someone who can help us. But I'll have to go right away to get her." Spike said smiling at his love as he held her hand.  
  
"How long would you be gone?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Two, three days tops." He said.  
  
"Just be careful. I don't know what I'd do without you." She said leaning in and kissing him lightly. Wrapping her arms around him, Buffy began to deepen the kiss when they were interrupted.  
  
"You know what Angel wanted to do when he found out you two were together? He wanted to cry! WHAT a WUSS! Him and all of his boo hoo me my ex girlfriend whom I'll never be over and my grandchilde are sleeping together. He can give her what I never could. PLEASE! Could he be anymore soft?!" Angelus exclaimed  
  
Ignoring the chained vampire he looked at Buffy. "It's a little after dusk luv, I need to get going." He kissed her and they began to head for the stairs.  
  
"I love you Spike." She said to him smiling  
  
"I love you too Buffy." He said heading up the stairs.  
  
"Now you." Buffy said turning to Angelus. "I've had just about enough of you." She pulled back her right arm and let her fist connect with his face. "You have no idea how good that felt." She said laughing as the started up the stairs.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Willow stood watching out the window when she saw Cordelia pull up. 'She just left!' Willow thought. 'She can't be back already' Flinging open the door she went out to see what was causing the delay when she saw Cordelia open the back car door and attempt to pick up a young girl.  
  
"Uh a little help would be nice." Cordelia said sounding like her old self.  
  
Willow ran out helping Cordelia carry the girl in. "What happened?"  
  
"All I saw was her flying out of the passenger side of a car. I was going to call 911 when I saw this." Cordelia said pulling a stake out of her pocket.  
  
Willow turned and yelled. "Buffy! Situation!"  
  
"Hey guys what's ooooo. . . GILES!" Buffy screamed as she entered the room.  
  
"What's wrong?" Giles said coming in.  
  
"Another potential." Buffy replied.  
  
"The bleeding seems to be stopping, do you think she needs to go to the hospital?" Willow asked.  
  
"No I don't believe so. She looks like she's coming to." Giles answered.  
  
"Where am I?" The girl asked. "And who are you people?"  
  
"I'm Buffy, that's Giles, Willow and Cordelia. She's the one that found you. What happened?" Buffy said  
  
"You're the slayer." The girl replied breathlessly. "He gave me a message for you."  
  
"Who did?" Giles asked.  
  
"Caleb. He said something about the first and how the eyeless priest were his boys." The girl began to ramble.  
  
"Where did you see him errr . . . " Willow said  
  
"Bridget." The girl said  
  
"Bridget, do you remember where you were before he took you?" Giles asked.  
  
"The vineyard. My family owns land behind it." Bridget answered.  
  
A gleam showed in Buffy's eyes. "We need to go there. There might just be something there to help us."  
  
"Who's we?" Willow asked.  
  
"All of us." Buffy answered  
  
"But the girls have never fought before." Cordelia replied.  
  
"There's only one way to find out." Buffy replied. "Get everyone ready. We'll form two teams. Cordelia, go to L.A. and get the orb. We're going to need Angel as soon as possible."  
  
Faith walked in as Buffy began her orders. "What's going on B?"  
  
"We're going to the vineyards. I have a feeling there may be something there." She said opening the weapons chest. "We'll have two teams. Mine will go in while yours stays and guards the perimeter. If we need help I'll . . . well, you'll hear that we need help."  
  
"What about Erin?" Willow asked.  
  
"She and Connor will stay and make sure Angelus doesn't escape, and look after Bridget. Dawn!" Buffy screamed.  
  
Dawn ran into the room. "Yeah Buffy what's going on?" Buffy gave Dawn a brief synopsis as to what was going down and sent her up to tell Connor and Erin what was going on.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The gang arrived at the vineyard. Buffy turned to address the group. "Does everyone understand what they're doing?"  
  
The group nodded their heads as they split up. Faith ran over to Buffy. "Hey B?"  
  
"Yeah Faith?" She replied  
  
"Kick some ass." Faith replied simply, bringing a small smile to Buffy's face.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"It's abandoned!" Kennedy exclaimed as they walked down the stairs.  
  
"Girls, be quiet and concentrate. You should always be able to feel your opponent before they can feel you." Buffy said.  
  
"Well I bet you didn't feel me." Came a voice from behind them. The group spun around to see Caleb snap Chloe's neck. "Such weak little girls."  
  
"I'm sorry did you just call me weak?" Buffy replied  
  
"No no. You're only moderately weak." Caleb mocked.  
  
"Would you like to test that theory?" Buffy replied kick Caleb in the stomach making him fly back and hit the wall.  
  
"Well now that wasn't very cordial of you, after all I am new to this fine town of yours." Caleb responded getting up.  
  
"Oh I'm sorry. Welcome to the hellmouth." Buffy said swinging at Caleb's face.  
  
Caleb caught her arm and threw her into the opposite wall. "I was wrong. You are weak."  
  
Buffy got up as quickly as she could seeing Caleb saunter over towards her. "Want to see how you're little girls do?" He asked as bringers appeared from all sides of the room.  
  
The girls look frightened and April turned and stared at the stairs. She began to run up them, as two more bringers appeared walking down them. "FAITH!!!!!!!" She screamed.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Faith heard the scream and the second group containing the Scooby's and the AI crew went in.  
  
"The second slayer. A 2 for 1 deal. I can end the slayer line tonight." Caleb replied  
  
"What about. . . " Anya started but Xander clamped his hand on her mouth before Caleb could hear.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Connor I can't just sit here while everyone is out there fighting. I'm a slayer! So I lost a little blood big deal!" Erin said complaining  
  
"But they said you should. . ." Connor began  
  
"I don't really care what they said. You can handle things right?" She asked  
  
"Yea sure. No problem." Connor replied  
  
"Good." Erin said grabbing 2 stakes and shoving them in one pocket of her jeans, 2 bottles of holy water in the other, threw on her jacket and grabbed a sword.  
  
"Be." The door slammed shut. "Careful." Connor finished.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Buffy was unconscious. Faith knew she wouldn't be out for long but they had to start getting the girls out of there.  
  
"Everyone head for the door!" She yelled.  
  
"What's a matter. The two slayers and their sidekicks can't handle me?" Caleb said.  
  
"How about three slayers." Came a voice from the top of the stairs.  
  
Everyone looked up to see the head of a bringer roll down the stairs.  
  
"You know, you'd really think that a powerful evil would give it's minions eyes." Erin said as she descended the stairs.  
  
"Three? Now that's a new development." Caleb responded.  
  
"Lets go everyone get out now!" Buffy screamed as she regained consciousness.  
  
Gunn and Oz headed the group with the rest of the Scooby's and the AI crew mixed in. Everyone exited until only Buffy, Faith and Erin were left.  
  
"Buffy come on!" Giles yelled.  
  
The three girls turned and ran up the stairs, trying not to look behind them. 


	22. Risks

~*~ Thanks for the reviews everyone.I was wondering if anyone was actually interested in this story anymore. Hope you enjoy the new installment. It's going to be a shorter one, but I will have a new chapter up HOPEFULLY before May 20th. ALSO  
  
I'd like to express my deep appreciation to the cast and crew of Buffy, The Vampire Slayer for 7 amazing years of television. I've laughed, cried, and grown up watching Buffy, and it will forever remain in my heart. ~*~  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The front door busted open and in flowed a flutter of bleeding people. Connor sat and stared at those entering the house. Each seemed bloodier than the last. Panic began to set in as he wondered if Erin had been seriously injured. Finally she entered the house followed by Faith and Buffy. Immediately he ran over and hugged her.  
  
"Need to breathe." Erin gasped.  
  
"Oh sorry." Connor replied  
  
"Now that was a brilliant idea." Kennedy mumbled flopping down on the couch.  
  
Everyone gathered in the room. Many of the potentials wearing mournful faces at the loss of Chloe.  
  
"It was a good idea. There's something there, I can feel it." Buffy said glancing around the room. "And that's why we have to go back."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Spike entered the room. It was filled with light, harmless light to him. Staring at the two figures that towered over him, he swallowed and awaited acknowledgement.  
  
"We know why you are here vampire." The beings said  
  
"Great, less time I'll 'ave to waste." He replied  
  
"However, what you want is not easily acquired." The powers responded  
  
"Yea and I was told that before I got my soul. Please can we make this fast, there's an apocalypse about to go down that I need to help advert." Spike was beginning to lose his patience.  
  
"As you wish. The price for this life shall be waived, however the one you seek shall only be until the apocalypse, whether it's stopped or not." If possible the light in the room grew. A figure of a woman was shown standing at the center of this light. As it faded, Spike focused and saw what he had come for.  
  
"Spike?" The woman said.  
  
"'ello Tara." The vampire said smiling.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Buffy are you insane? You saw what Caleb is capable of." Xander said in disbelief.  
  
"I'm gonna go with Xander on this one. Not liking the chances of living through the entrance of that building." Oz backing Xander up.  
  
"For seven years I have protected you guys. Kept you alive, and now you want to go against me?" Buffy responded.  
  
"We're not against you B." Faith said  
  
"But you're running on lack of sleep and I just believe that your judgment is off." Giles stood up as he spoke.  
  
"So what is this gang up on Buffy day? If I'm not calling the shots than who will?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Why don't we let Faith run things for a little." Wesley said.  
  
Buffy looked at Willow for support, then at Dawn. "We're not against you I just think you need a little rest." Willow said smiling meekly at her best friend.  
  
"If you don't agree to let Faith take control for awhile, then you'll have to leave." Dawn said.  
  
"But this is my house." Buffy retorted.  
  
"And it's my house too." Dawn responded.  
  
Buffy looked around, tears welling in her eyes. Grabbing her jacket she was out the door.  
  
"Anyone else who doesn't agree?" Wesley asked.  
  
Everyone was silent shaking their heads no when someone spoke up. "Yea I don't." Eyes immediately went on Erin who grabbed her jacket as well and left.  
  
Eyes immediately went to Connor, assuming he'd leave as well, however he stayed. "Wesley may have ruined my childhood by sending me to another dimension, but I do trust him." Connor said.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Buffy wait!" Erin yelled running to catch up with the blonde.  
  
Buffy turned stopped in her tracks and turned around.  
  
"I trust you." Erin said.  
  
Buffy smiled and the two began to walk.  
  
"Plus, if I ever went against you, Spike would kill me." Erin said laughing  
  
"Ah, a vacant house." Buffy said as she walked up and kicked the door open.  
  
"Seems like everyone's skipping town. Must feel that something's coming." Erin replied.  
  
"If we don't stop it here, then their skipping town will be a waste." Buffy said seriously, then began to search for food. She found bottles and bottles of spring water and food that's expiration date was far in the future. "Looks like we won't die of malnutrition however."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"I know what's going on, but I'm surprised it was you that came here." Tara said.  
  
"Yea well, you got lucky I guess." Spike said in his cocky tone. "You ready for Sunnydale?"  
  
"I think." Tara replied as the two headed off.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Great so now we're down two slayers, that's going to help so much." Anya said.  
  
Xander opened his mouth to speak when they all heard the screeching of car tires. Not soon after the door swung open and in walked Cordelia. "I've got the orb." She said smiling as she handed it to Willow.  
  
"Lets get started right away." The wiccan said rushing to gather the supplies.  
  
Cordelia sat on Willows left, Xander on her right as Giles stared on. Willow began to speak a few words in Latin when her head snapped back and her hair turned black. She finished the incantation and looked at those sitting next to her as her hair transformed back to red. She had apparently used Cordelia's power because the former cheerleader looked of breath. "Sorry." Willow said.  
  
"Don't. Worry. About. It." Cordelia said huffing.  
  
"Did it work?" Connor asked.  
  
"Only one way to find out." Cordelia said. "Let me go first okay?" She said to everyone.  
  
Descending the stairs she saw Angel lying on the floor in a cold sweat. He slowly lifted his head and raised his eyes to meet hers. "Buffy?" He said, before he collapsed.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
~*~ What do you think? Do you hate it? Love it? Please review. I've only been getting a feeble amount of reviewing, and even though those that review are absolutely wonderful, I could use more opinions and praise!!!~*~ 


	23. Divided We Fall

~*~ Thanks for the reviews. . . even though they seem to be diminishing! All hail the series finale of Buffy. . . "Party in my eye socket and everyone's invited." ~*~  
  
"It's always about Buffy isn't? Buffy, Buffy, Buffy. Just kills you to know that you'll only ever be second in his heart." The first appeared mocking Cordelia as the face of Buffy.  
  
"And it just kills you to know that we're going to defeat you." Cordelia said staring the First down. "You think I'm afraid of something that just taunts people? I mean really. Are you trying to be like Puck from the Real World? You won't push someone off a bridge but you'll sure as hell talk them into it."  
  
"Now there's the smart ass Cordelia that's been waiting to come out. You really lost your bite after Daddy lost his fortune and you learned the softer side of Sears." The First said.  
  
"Leave her alone." Angels voice sounded through the basement.  
  
"Yes because I'm afraid of the half-breed. You should've killed yourself years ago. Would've done the world a favor." The First attempting to piss Angel off.  
  
"You're mind games aren't working so why don't you just get the hell out of here." Angel growled.  
  
The First titled it's "Buffy" head smiled a wicked smile and disappeared. Cordelia looked upset as Angel turned to her.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked  
  
"I'll always be second in your heart. That's what the first said." Cordelia repeated the words she had heard not that long ago.  
  
"Cordy look at me. You know that the only thing that would get rid of the curse is one moment of true happiness. Buffy will always have a special place in my heart but you're the one I want." Angel said smiling.  
  
"I guess you're right." Cordelia half smiling looked up at her boyfriend. If that's what you'd call him. "I love you Angel."  
  
"I love you too Cordelia." Angel responded place a light kiss on her head and pulling her into his embrace.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"So what are we gonna do now?" Erin asked lying on the couch that was adjacent to the chair Buffy was sitting in.  
  
"We come up with a plan." Buffy replied starring at the ceiling.  
  
"Okay. So how about we kill annoying preacher man. Sound good to you?" Erin asked laughing slightly  
  
"That would be a goal." Buffy responded.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"So you know every bleedin' thing that's 'appened since you died?" Spike asked.  
  
"Yes Spike I know about Willow and Oz. I'm fine with it. Willow's heart is big enough to have love for him and still keep me in there." Tara said.  
  
"I always liked you Glinda." Spike said  
  
"And everything with you has changed. A soul, you and Buffy are FINALLY together, you have a kid now." Tara stated.  
  
"Wait, I don't have a kid." Spike exclaimed.  
  
"Well who's that teenage girl that's always calling you Uncle William?" Tara asked laughing.  
  
"Oh, yea Erin. Doesn't much like me right now though." Spike explained.  
  
"Give it time." Tara said.  
  
The Desoto turned onto the familiar street.  
  
"Well we're here." Spike said simply.  
  
"I know." Tara smiled and stared at the house.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The door to the Summer's house opened and all eyes moved to see who was entering.  
  
"'ello I'm home." Spike hollered.  
  
"Hey Spike!" Willow exclaimed sitting in Oz's embrace.  
  
"I brought someone back with me." Spike said  
  
"Well if it's Nazi lady, leave her outside." Kennedy mumbled.  
  
Willow's face suddenly turned ghost white. Spike saw that Tara had entered the house out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"Tara?" Willow whimpered.  
  
"Hi sweetie." Tara replied  
  
Willow looked back at Oz, as if conflicted. He motioned with his head for her to go. With that Willow jumped up and ran into Tara's arms. "Baby I missed you so much."  
  
"I'm only here for a short time." Tara started to explain.  
  
"But why?" Dawn asked who had made her way over and flung her arms around Tara.  
  
"Spike could only negotiate to have me back to help stop the apocalypse." Tara finished.  
  
"I understand." Willow said who looked at Oz whom had walked over.  
  
"Hi Tara." He said quietly.  
  
"Nice to see you again Oz." Tara said smiling.  
  
"Alright so where's Buffy? We need to go over the master plan." Spike asked.  
  
"Well see while you were gone there were some slight changes in things." Faith started.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Spike killed slayers ya know Buffy." Erin blurted out.  
  
"I know." Buffy said non-chalantly  
  
"Doesn't that bother you that he's the reason two of our kind died early?" Erin asked.  
  
"It did. For the longest time it did. But he's different now." Buffy replied.  
  
"How do you see past the killer so easily?" Erin questioned  
  
"Easily?! HA! It took me forever to be like this. But now that I'm with him. . . it was worth every second." Buffy smiled.  
  
"Man. It would've been so cool to have a sister like you. But nooooo I had to be an only child." Erin said.  
  
"Well I have to say, I love Dawn, but you're a lot less whinny and you don't kick me out of my own house." Buffy responded looking slightly teary- eyed.  
  
"Hey don't worry Buffy. They'll realize how stupid they were in a few hours." Erin said trying to comfort her.  
  
"Yea I guess you're right. I just wish Spike was here." Buffy lay back in the chair and began to daydream about her lover.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"You did what?" Spike fumed.  
  
"We kicked her out of the house. It's not that hard of a concept to grasp." Anya said.  
  
"You're all selfish. For seven bloody years Buffy's worked her arse off to protect you guys. And now there are some causalities and injuries and you're going to turn against her? She's never had a normal life and she never will. Her parents divorced, she and her mother moved here of all the bloody places in the country then poof she gets a sister. Her mom dies, she dies a second time to save the world and yet when the going gets rough you tell her she isn't doing her job right? Well bugger all of you. Try to sort this one out yourself." Spike screamed.  
  
With that he took off out the door and sniffed the night air for Buffy's scent. He caught another scent that her almost thought was Erin's. Walking down the street he suddenly noticed a figure sitting on the steps of a front porch. As he walked closer the silhouette of the girl became clear.  
  
"So, they kick you out too?" Spike asked.  
  
Erin looked up and smiled at her Uncle. "No. I left on my own. I believe in Buffy." Erin stood up and flung her arms around Spike. "I'm so sorry about all the awful things I said to you."  
  
"It's okay luv." Spike smiled and pulled away lightly. "Is Buffy inside?"  
  
"Yea. I'll stay out here, you'll probably want some privacy." Erin responded.  
  
"Thanks." Spike said as he entered the house.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Well I'd say this plan of yours is working out mighty well." Caleb said turning to the other beside him. "What did you call it again?"  
  
"The Yoko factor." Came the voice of Adam from the shadows.  
  
~*~ What do ya'll think?! PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! I know these last two have been short but I have finals and all that jazz so I have to devote a little time to my studies lol. Please please please please review!! And if you want to know when this story is updated join my yahoo group.. groups.yahoo.com/groups/rinnysfanfiction  
  
Grrrr Arrrggg ~*~ 


	24. Been Done Before

~*~ Thanks ya'll for the reviews!!!!!!! Keep 'em coming and I'll keep the chapters coming!!! I don't know how dumb you guys are gonna think this is but in the one "scene" if it was a real Buffy show I envisioned a certain song being played so I'm gonna try to have it like the show would be. . . if you guys know what I mean.~*~  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Spike awoke to a light tapping sound. Going to check out what it was he slowly wiggled his way free of Buffy's grasp. He saw a light shinning from the next room. The sounds seemed to be coming from there. Finally he saw who it was and leaned against the doorway smiling. "What are you doing?"  
  
Erin looked over briefly and smiled. "Running up their internet bill."  
  
"Research I assume." Spike said pulling a chair over next to his niece.  
  
"Yeah. Did you know that the Watchers Council had a website? Well it was a secret one. Amazing that it stayed up after it was bombed or whatever. Anyway, I've done some hacking in my time. . . ya know changing grades at school that type of thing," Spike gave Erin a surprised look unaware of her 'dark' side. "anyway, I got into their online version of their library and I think I may have found something."  
  
"What's going on?" came a rasping whisper. Turning the two saw a very sleepy Buffy.  
  
"Just performing illegal activities." Erin said laughing. "Plus I think I've found something."  
  
"Well lets hear it so we can go back to sleep." Buffy yawned rubbing her eyes.  
  
"Alright. It says here that the First attempted to destroy the slayer line before. Thousands of years ago a slayer by the name of Leah crushed the First's plan but not before an entire land met a watery grave. Thus created the lost city of Atlantis." Erin said reading the screen.  
  
"Well that's a new development. How did she stop him?" Buffy asked walking over to stand behind Erin.  
  
"It doesn't really say. It just mentions something about North, South, East, and West." Erin said puzzlingly.  
  
"That's no good. This is not The Craft." Buffy responded running her hands through her hair.  
  
"Maybe if we look up stuff about Atlantis we might get some more clues." Erin suggested.  
  
"Sounds good luv." Spike said kissing Erin on the forehead. "Why don't we all get some sleep."  
  
"You guys go ahead. I'll get some rest in a bit." Erin replied returning her gaze to the screen.  
  
Spike put his arm around Buffy as the two headed to the master bedroom.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"It's 2 o'clock in the morning. This better be something good." Dawn groaned.  
  
"I'm sorry. Nevermind." Came Connor's voice from the dark.  
  
"Connor? What are you doing here? Sit. Speak." Dawn said sitting up in bed. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I miss Erin." Connor stated flatly  
  
"I know you do, but you're here where you should be. With Angel and Cordelia." Dawn said.  
  
"I guess you're right. Sorry about waking you." Connor said exiting the room, closing the door behind him.  
  
"I swear any guy that comes to Sunnydale is immediately more insecure than the girls are." Dawn mumbled closing her eyes and drifting back to sleep.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The night continued on with no rest for Erin. After she was through with research she decided to go out and patrol for a bit. As she began to head back she saw the face of someone she hadn't expected to see.  
  
He gazed across the yards that separated them. Walking towards the frozen girl he cracked a smile at the sight of her face.  
  
"What do you want?" Erin asked keeping her face straight.  
  
"I'm sorry Erin. I miss you. Won't you come back to the house with me?" Connor asked.  
  
"No." Erin said simply.  
  
"Look, they know what they're talking about. I trust my Dad." Connor responded.  
  
"You never did before. What suddenly changed?" Erin retorted.  
  
"You changed me. I saw how you forgave Spike when you found out about all the things that he had done. You showed me how to forgive." Connor explained.  
  
"Well how about I show you something else." Erin said stepping closer to him. "This, whatever it is between us, it's over." Turning she headed back into the night. She waited until she knew that he was not following her to cry.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Slayers are such bitches." The First as Angel said standing at Connor's side.  
  
"Yea I guess they are." Connor said staring off into the distance. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to try to kill them." Connor said staring the first down.  
  
Frowning with Angels face the first disappeared.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
*** Now that I know what I'm without  
  
You can't just leave me  
  
***  
  
Connor walked towards the house eyes glazed. Anger shown on his face, but only to cover up the confusion and hurt that flooded his emotions.  
  
*** Breathe into me and make me real  
  
Bring me to life  
  
*** Opening the door he walked in to an angry Angel. "Connor where have. . ." Angel began but when his son looked at him he say the emotions. Pulling him into a hug as the boy let the tears flow down his cheeks.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
*** Wake me up inside  
  
Wake me up inside  
  
Call my name and save me from the dark  
  
***  
  
Erin ran. She didn't know why but she just kept running through the cemetery. She stopped when she heard sounds coming from the bushes. Turning she saw a deformed like demon emerge. For the first time, true anger shown in her eyes as she lunged herself at whatever it was.  
  
*** Bid my blood to run  
  
Before I come undone  
  
***  
  
Her arm was immediately slashed by the sword like projectiles that emerged from the creatures skin. As she went for another blow in the creatures face, it sliced what seemed to be halfway to the bone on her leg. Suddenly worried, Erin took off towards the house in which they were staying. Limping yet running, blood dripping down her arm and her leg.  
  
*** Save me from the nothing I've become  
  
Bring me to life  
  
***  
  
Breathing a sigh of relief when she saw the house come into view, Erin picked up her pace, wanting to get inside as quickly as possible. Closing the door behind her she turned to see Spike sitting on a chair in the next room staring at her. There was silence that seemed to last forever until he finally spoke. "Lets get you fixed up." He said.  
  
Erin followed him into a small bathroom as he pulled out a first aid kit. His attention was first to the worst on Erin's leg. "I'd say that we should get you to the hospital, but since they're not bloody running right now you're stuck with the blood expert.  
  
Erin smiled at her Uncle until he put peroxide on the wound. "Okay, OW!" she said.  
  
"Oh stop complaining!" He said bandaged her leg as if it would fall off. He swiped over the surface wounds on Erin's arm with the peroxide as well.  
  
"Thanks." Erin said quietly lowering her head as the tears began to spill again.  
  
"Hey now, what are they for." Spike said lifting up her chin and whipping her tears.  
  
"Connor and I are through." She whispered, sniffing.  
  
"What happened? Peaches son decided to take a 2-in-the-morning stroll as well?" Spike asked.  
  
Erin nodded her head. "I can't be with someone who would trust someone that he hates over me."  
  
"I understand." Spike said kissing the top of her head as she cry on his shoulder.  
  
Buffy sat at the top of the stairs observing what was going on. It was then that she knew what needed to be done. So it wasn't democratic. It didn't matter in times like these. She descended the stairs. "Guys, I know what we have to do."  
  
The two turned towards Buffy. "I'm taking back the house. It's my house. I'm the slayer. Well I was the only until. . . but anyway the only way that anything is going to get done is if everyone sticks together, no matter if we agree with them or not. So get whatever you brought with you, and pack it up, cause we leave now."  
  
Erin got up and started up the stairs. "Would it be okay if I took their laptop? I mean it's not like they're going to need it if the world ends."  
  
"You can borrow it. And when we save the world, again, you can return it before they come back, if they come back." Buffy responded.  
  
"You'd think that these people would've had enough common sense to move out of here a while ago." Spike said wrapping his arms around Buffy as they waited for Erin to grab the computer. She quickly ran down the stairs as the three grabbed their jackets and headed out.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Willow was awoken by what had sounded like the slamming of the front door. Oz had apparently heard it too because he too was sitting up in bead as well. Opening the bedroom door the two stepped out into the hallway to see Faith in the front of the group gathering. She, Giles, Dawn, Xander, and Tara headed down the stairs as Oz and Willow quickly followed.  
  
"Alright whatever you are. . ." Faith saw who was in the house. "B, you forget something?"  
  
"No I didn't. I'm taking the house back. It's my house. If you or anyone have a problem with the way I'm running things then everyone pack up and leave now because I'm the slayer. I was before you Faith. I've been in a hell of a lot more battles and apocalypses than you. I've died twice. And you," Buffy turned towards Willow and Xander. "you guys brought me back. Took me from heaven. So I assume that I was brought back to protect you all again. We'll I'm back, so let me do my job."  
  
Spike who was holding Buffy's hand gave it a squeeze. She turned and smiled at him. Erin stood on the other side of Buffy but had leaned on the wall in the beginning of the confrontation.  
  
Buffy then realized that she saw a face that she didn't think she'd see again. "Tara?" she asked. Spike smiled at Buffy. She automatically knew why Tara was back. Spike. Buffy immediately ran and hugged Tara.  
  
"Nice speech." Tara whispered into Buffy's ear.  
  
"So here's the deal. I'm in command, deal with it. Spike is second in command when I'm not here. When he's not here nor I, it's Erin." Buffy explained to the gathering crowd. Looks of frustration and confusion were unanimous among all.  
  
"Why her?" Kennedy blurted out.  
  
"Because." Buffy said looking at Erin, than back at the rest of the group. "We have a lot in common."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Everything settled down. Most were back asleep except Erin and a few others. Erin sat in the kitchen drinking a glass of water and staring out the window. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She knew who it was. Didn't even have to look. But she did. Standing up she stood face to face with Connor.  
  
"Erin, I'm sorry. I should've trusted you. You were right when you said that I should trust someone that I care about not someone I. . ." Connor however was cut off when Erin captured his lips. Kissing feverishly the two barely seemed to want to take a breath.  
  
The two didn't notice the figures in the hallway watching what had gone on in the kitchen. Wrapped in Spike's arms Buffy looked at her love and smiled. "They really are like us."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
~*~Okay so this is why it took me so long with the chapters. . . I had finals, and I also had already had this chapter written however, after reading it over I scrapped it. I didn't find it relevant to the story at all. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I had fun writing it! Please review! I really do love the praise. Give me suggestions. It does help. I just like to know that people are reading it! New chapter coming ASAP! BTW: The song used in this chapter is Evanesence "Bring Me to Life" ~*~ 


	25. Confrontation

~*~ Thanks for the reviews as always guys. I apologize for taking as long as I did to post this. School finished up but I've been helping out with Bible school at my church. I also was suffering from writers block. I know where I want to take this story however it's hard to write the important things that build up to it at times. Please continue reviewing. They really do help me write. If not for the reviews who knows when this chapter would've finally come out. ~*~  
  
Spike, Buffy, and Erin resumed the area in which they were staying, but not before Erin was grilled by Giles as to what attacked her.  
  
"Now you say it had a shiny face?" Giles asked  
  
"No half of it was shiny. It looked like a deformed Frankenstein. These things came out of its arms and that's what slashed me." Erin explained.  
  
"Adam." Spike said remembering when he had once helped the deformed monster.  
  
"Well he should be a lot easier to kill this time. We have an array of weapons. Hey how about the big hammer?" Buffy said slightly laughing.  
  
"I believe that Adam is really the least of our problems right now. And considering that we seem to be all that's left of Sunnydale I don't believe we need to fret about him murdering helpless people." Giles responded.  
  
"I hate to ditch this obviously interesting discussion," Erin said sarcastically " but I'm wiped."  
  
"Go rest, I'll fill ya in later." Spike said as Erin got up and headed up the stairs.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Yawning Erin started into the bedroom that she now shared with Dawn when an armed grabbed her. Spinning around she saw the face of Angel angrily staring back at her.  
  
"It ends now." He whispered snidely.  
  
"What ends?" Erin questioned pulling her arm out of the vampire's grasp.  
  
"This game of yo-yo you're playing with my sons heart." Angel huffed. "I don't want you near him again, understand?"  
  
"And what are you going to do if I don't." Erin spat back.  
  
"Finish what apparently Angelus should've." He said. Turning he walked down the stairs.  
  
Erin stood and stared at the spot in which Angel no longer was. Turning on her heels she went into the bedroom and quietly closed the door.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"What'd I miss?" Angel said making his way into the living room.  
  
"Seems we have a break in the case." Anya said excitedly.  
  
"Erin hacked her way into the councils website and I'm checking it out right now." Willow said from behind the laptop that had been taken from the vacant house.  
  
"I still can't believe that Atlantis actually existed. I mean I should believe it 'cause hello, 7 years ago it was rain of toads and my life was anything but ordinary from then on." Xander babbled.  
  
"Am I the only one who thinks that this just sounds like a big rip from the movies?" Lorne asked. "I mean really North, South, East, West, come on, Neve Campbell used that ages ago!"  
  
"That's what I said." Buffy replied  
  
"I think though, that it's one of those things that's so ridiculous, it's true." Tara piped up.  
  
Everyone in the room jumped each time Tara spoke finding it odd still to hear her voice. Everyone except Buffy and Spike who seemed to know that death never seemed to be the end of the Scooby gang.  
  
"I agree with Tara. Maybe it's something we should look into." Oz said smiling at the Wicca.  
  
"I believe that would be most essential." Wesley replied, already starting to shift through books.  
  
"Anya, do you think you could contact some of your demon friends and ask around?" Giles asked.  
  
"I'll try. Most don't want to talk to me now that I'm human. . . again." Anya responded getting up and heading down to the basement.  
  
"We need to get whatever information we can out of the demons that are left in town. Since the sun is about to rise now, tonight we need people out and about." Giles said.  
  
"Sounds good. How bout we have three teams; me and Spike, Faith and Angel, and Erin and Connor. We'll spend the day getting weapons and such ready and planning out who will go where." Buffy explained.  
  
"I don't think we should put Erin and Connor together." Angel chimed in.  
  
"And why not? Do you have a problem with my niece?" Spike asked slightly infuriated.  
  
"Er, no. I just think that they won't get much done." Angel responded.  
  
"Fine. Faith will go with Connor and you can go with Erin." Buffy replied.  
  
"No that's really okay." Came a voice from the stairs. The group turned to see Erin sitting on the top step. "Considering he just threatened to kill me not too long ago."  
  
"You what? What the hell is your problem poof? Are you upset that you can't shag you're little girlfriend or have you run out of hair gel again?" Spike glared at the older vampire just daring him to respond.  
  
Everyone was standing and staring at Angel for an explanation when a scream came from behind him as he was tackled.  
  
Connor's eyes burned with hatred. "You." Punch. "Can't." Punch. "Change." Punch. "Who." Punch. "I." Punch. "Love."  
  
Erin looked on at the sight until she heard the final word that Connor spoke. Running down the stairs she pulled him off Angel. The two flew back as Erin seemed to still not know her own strength.  
  
"Connor you don't love her. How could you ever love someone who's playing with your heart like it's a dartboard?!" Angel exclaimed.  
  
"I did. And I still do." Spike said forcing the vampire to turn around and see Spike's arms around his former lover.  
  
Angel looked over at Cordelia as she came and whipped his bloody eyebrow with a tissue. He cupped her face and smiled at her. Forgetting that anyone else was in the room he leaned in and kissed her. Pulling away he whispered, well he thought he was whispering. "I love you Cordy."  
  
Buffy felt a twinge in her stomach when she heard him say those words to another woman. But then she realized whom the strong arms wrapped around her belonged to. Looking up and her love she whispered as well. "I love you Spike. Always."  
  
"I love you too Buffy." Spike responded.  
  
"Willow make me blind again please." Giles asked the witch who only started to laugh.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Erin and Connor and gone upstairs when the mushiness had begun. Sitting on the floor of Erin's bedroom the two sat in silence.  
  
"Did you really mean what you said down there?" Erin asked breaking the silence.  
  
"That I loved you?" Connor asked.  
  
Erin nodded.  
  
"I think I did. I'm. . . I'm falling in love with you Erin.  
  
"I'm falling in love with you too Connor. So hard that it scares me. That's why I kept pushing you away. I haven't really had the best luck with guys." Erin responded staring at the floor.  
  
"Why? What happened?" Connor questioned.  
  
Erin sat silent staring at the floor for a moment before she responded. "Every guy that's ever told me that he's loved me, has cheated on me."  
  
Connor reached out and grabbed Erin's hand squeezing it lightly. "I don't know why they would since they already had the best."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
~*~ I know that this was a short chapter but as I said above I've been so busy and everything has just been crazy lately. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review!!!!~*~ 


	26. Aftermath

~*~It's been awhile but I've been working a lot this summer so I have less time then I want to write. Since It'll be longer between chapters I'll try to make them a lot longer okay? Please keep up the great reviewing!! Also from now on * * * * marks dreams.~*~  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
* * * * "Do we really need weapons for this?" Buffy's voice echoed through the corrodoors of the school.  
  
"I just like them. They make me feel all manly." Spike snarled.  
  
* * * *  
  
Erin woke up startled at the dream she had just had. She had no clue what she had just seen. She then suddenly realized where she was and whose arms were wrapped around her. She looked down to see that she was still in her dirty clothes and had just slept on the floor. Slipping out of Connor's arms, Erin got up and grabbed her only pair of jeans that she had with her when she had been taken suddenly from school. Next to them sat a black t- shirt that she borrowed from Spike. She quickly made her way to the bathroom and peeled of the bloody and dirty gym clothes she had on. Stepping into the shower she sighed as the warm water hit her body.  
  
'What was that dream supposed to mean?' Erin thought to herself as she turned the water off after her quick shower. Slipping into the clean clothes that were on the counter and squeezing the excess water out of her hair, she headed back to her and Dawn's room.  
  
Walking in she saw Connor sitting on the bed staring at her.  
  
"You didn't wake me." He said blandly  
  
"I figured you wanted to sleep." Erin responded grabbing a hair tie off the desk.  
  
"It's okay. I just thought I did something wrong again." Connor said getting up and wrapping his arms around her as she pulled her hair back.  
  
"Of course not." Erin replied. "But I need to see what's going on now."  
  
Erin began to walk out of the room when Connor grabbed her arm and spun her around. "I'm not going to let you act like last night didn't happen." Connor spat.  
  
"Nothing happened last night Connor, my clothes were still on when I woke up." Erin responded.  
  
"You know what I mean. You told me you loved me. You can't just act like you didn't say it." Connor replied.  
  
"I'm not acting like I didn't say it." Erin said reaching out and touching his face. "I never said you couldn't come with me." She said pulling Connor in and sweetly kissing him. Grabbing Connor's hand, Erin made her way down the stairs with no hesitance from him.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"It's like 3:00, shouldn't we go wake them now? Nobody can sleep that long, well unless they were having wild animal sex last night. That is if Dawn wasn't there. Hey Dawn where did you sleep last night?" Anya babbled.  
  
"On the couch why?" Dawn asked looking over a pile of books that lay on the kitchen table.  
  
"See! They had the perfect opportunity!" Anya reveled.  
  
"Not everyone has as sex all the time like you and Xander did." Willow responded from behind the computer screen.  
  
"Who's having sex?" Spike asked walking into the room.  
  
"Erin and Connor." Anya replied non-chalantly.  
  
"What?! I'm gonna pound that bloody boy's head in. She's too young! And with the poof's son." Spike began ranting.  
  
Two seconds after this began Erin and Connor walked in. All eyes shifted on them.  
  
"What?" Erin asked.  
  
Spike quickly pulled Erin away from Connor and brought her into the living. "Were you two, did you guys. . . BUFFY!"  
  
The basement door opened and Buffy quickly came into the living room. "What's wrong?" She asked hurrying over to Spike.  
  
"She and Connor, they, ya know." Spike for the first time in his unlife was afraid to say the word sex.  
  
"What?!" Exclaimed looking at Spike. "No no definitely not!"  
  
"You didn't?" Spike wrapped Erin in his arms smiling.  
  
"What do you think I am? Geez." Erin responded.  
  
Buffy just stood there laughing.  
  
"Bloody hell, I'm starting to act like a parent." Spike said to Buffy after Erin had returned to the other room.  
  
"Now you know how I've felt the past 2 years." Buffy replied.  
  
Walking back into the other room where everyone had seemed to be gathered Buffy explained what would be going on that night. "Alright, so here's what's going down. Spike and I will take the east side of town, now we need to have someone in each group who knows something about each of the big bads that are deciding to be a pain in my butt again so Faith and Connor will take the southwest part of town, and Erin and Angel will take the Northwest part. Everyone understand?"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
They watched as the last ray of sun descended. Night had fallen and it was time to commence with patrolling. The three teams loaded up on weapons and Buffy gave final instructions. "Gunn, you're in charge of any kind of combat that could possibly go on here while we're gone. Willow, you got the magic, Xander keep everyone calm in case of a problem, Giles, keep researching, Dawnie and Anya, help Giles. Alright?"  
  
"Don't worry Buffy we'll be fine." Gunn replied as he closed the door behind them.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
After walking in silence for what seemed like an eternity, Angel finally spoke up. "I'm sorry I threatened you."  
  
"I'm sorry for playing yo-yo with you're sons heart." Erin replied.  
  
"So I'm assuming that's really why Buffy put us together, so we would fix things." Angel responded.  
  
"Either that or she was hoping one of use would kill the other." Erin said laughing.  
  
They walked a few more feet in silence until a whisper came from behind them.  
  
"Angelus." Came a female voice.  
  
Turning Angel saw the morphed face of Darla.  
  
"You wanna kill her, or should I?" Erin asked dumbfounded why her companion was just standing and staring rather than fighting.  
  
Darla seemed to be oblivious to Erin's remarks as she stared at Angel. "The master is very disappointed in you."  
  
"So that son-of-a-bitch is back too." Angel replied turning to Erin. "Now that's why you don't kill them right away. . . useful information." Angel swiftly grabbed Darla by the throat. "Where is he."  
  
"Right behind you." Came the voice of the one who had caused Buffy's brief death.  
  
Erin jumped. She hadn't known that he was there because of Angel and Darla being there as well.  
  
The master locked eyes with Erin. "A new slayer. Someone finally did that blonde brat in."  
  
"No she's still alive. . . and there are three slayers now." Angel said growling at his once ally.  
  
"Kinda cute." The Master said cocking his head to the side. "You doing her now?"  
  
At that comment something in Erin broke. Launching herself into the air she delivered a high kick into the face of the Master.  
  
As the Master hit the ground Erin suddenly went into a dream-like state.  
  
Angel noticed right away and swiftly blocked the Master's return blow.  
  
* * * *  
  
"I don't suppose you have a key." Buffy asked whirling around.  
  
"They don't really like me going down there." Angel replied from the shadows.  
  
"And why is that?" Buffy smirked.  
  
"Because they really don't like me" Angel responded.  
  
The dream quickly flashed to the roof of the old Sunnydale Library.  
  
"You're dead!" The Master exclaimed  
  
"I may be dead, but I'm still pretty. Which is more than I can say for you." Buffy retorted.  
  
* * * *  
  
As quickly as it happened the dream was gone and Erin was brought back to reality. She saw a stake raised in the air and realized that it was about to go into Angel who was being held by Darla and another vampire. Quickly she grabbed the Master's hand and the stake with one hand while putting her other hand where the stake would go.  
  
The Master's strength overwhelmed the under trained slayer and the stake cut into the flesh of Erin's hand.  
  
Screaming in pain, Erin kicked the Master causing him to let go of the stake. Pulling it out of her hand she lunged at the Master.  
  
Angel began to fight his way loose from Darla and the fledgling as he suddenly sensed another vampire and something supernatural in close proximity. No more than a few seconds later, Spike and Buffy camp into view. Seeing the struggle, Buffy and Spike dashed towards the two.  
  
Buffy could only watch as she saw Erin being thrown off the master and hitting a tree. Then the Master moved his eyes up and saw her. "Buffy." He rasped.  
  
"Ya know, when I told you to go to hell, I don't believe I gave you and invitation to come back." Buffy quipped.  
  
"Always one for the banter aren't you slayer." The Master replied. "Now it's time for me to finish things the way that should have been."  
  
"Not bloody likely." Spike piped up after being unusually quiet. He glanced quickly in Erin's direction and saw that she was okay.  
  
"William the Bloody. You've gotten yourself tainted as Angelus has." The Master growled.  
  
"It's been really great catching up, really hate to see you go. Actually I'm not too upset." Buffy said pulling out Mr. Pointy and tossing it into the Masters chest. When he didn't burst into dust, Buffy looked on puzzlingly.  
  
"You really didn't think it'd be that easy to kill me now did you?" The Master questioned mocking her.  
  
Looking over again, Spike saw that Erin was no longer at the tree but next to it going through her weapons bag and pulling out an axe. 'That's my girl.' He thought.  
  
"It's worth a shot." Buffy said seeing Erin sneak up behind the Master and raise the axe to his neck. Before it could make contact with his dead flesh the Master grabbed the axe from behind and flipped Erin over his shoulder along with the axe.  
  
Suddenly 3 more vampires came from the shadows and attacked Buffy and Spike. Angel, still fighting with Darla had dusted the fledgling.  
  
The Master stared down and Erin grinning. "Now I get you all to myself."  
  
Erin tried to get up but it was no use. She hurt so bad and the Master was just too strong for her temporarily weak body.  
  
"You've already been tasted." The Master said, running his finger along the bite mark that Angelus had made.  
  
"Noooooo!!!!!!" Spike screamed. But as he tried to make his way to his niece another vampire attacked him from behind.  
  
Leaning in, the Master was just about to pierce Erin's neck when he stopped short and made a gasping like sound. As the dust cleared Erin looked up and saw the face of Angel reaching out a hand to help her up. Taking his hand Erin got up. When she got onto her feet Angel swiftly went over to help Spike and Buffy finish off the 3 remaining vampires.  
  
When the dust finally settled everyone ran over to see if Erin was okay. Her hand had stopped bleeding but she needed to get it cleaned up anyway. "We better get you home." Buffy said  
  
"You two keep on patrolling, I'll take her back to the house. She's my partner anyway." Angel said causing Buffy to smile at his childishness.  
  
Spike looked weary at the idea but all Buffy had to do was smile at him and everything was okay. "Be careful with her broody." Was his farewell as the two headed off towards the house.  
  
"Would you relax?!" Buffy said grabbing his hand and pulling him off in the other direction.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"You saved my life tonight." Erin said leaning on Angel whom had his arm around her for her support.  
  
"Yea well, you saved me too." Angel replied smiling down at the wounded slayer.  
  
Before Erin could speak again she went limp against Angel who caught her.  
  
* * * *  
  
"This isn't some fairy tale. When I kiss you. . . you won't wake up from some deep sleep and live happily ever after." Angel said staring down into the face of Buffy.  
  
"No." Buffy responded. "When you kiss me, I wanna die."  
  
* * * *  
  
Snapping out of her trance-like phase Erin looked up at Angel.  
  
"What happened?" Angel asked, helping her stand up right. "You went into a trance state or something."  
  
"Angel, you know a lot about slayers right?" Erin asked.  
  
"I guess you could say that." Angel responded looking at Erin's some-what concerned looking face.  
  
"Well I know we're supposed to have dreams and all, but, is it possible to have random trances with visions from the past?" Erin questioned.  
  
"What kind of visions are you getting?" Angel replied with a question.  
  
"I've had a dream about Buffy and Spike in a school building, visions of you and Buffy talking about how 'they' don't like you, one with the Master telling Buffy she's supposed to be dead, and another with you and Buffy with her saying something about kissing you and wanting to die." Erin explained.  
  
Angel looked at the slayer surprised at the events she had seen. He knew everything that she was talking about, but didn't understand why she was getting those visions. He decided not to worry her but to talk about it with Giles later. "Don't worry about it I'm sure it's nothing."  
  
"Probably not." Erin responded staring at the ground as they walked on.  
  
"How's your hand feel?" Angel asked changing the subject.  
  
"Like a stake went through it." Erin replied.  
  
Stopping Angel turned to her. "Thanks again for saving my life." He said leaning in and kissing Erin on the cheek.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Unseen by Erin and Angel, Connor and Faith stood less than 100 yards away from the scene.  
  
"Was that on the lips?" Connor questioned with anger in his voice.  
  
"I think so junior." Faith replied.  
  
Wiping the tears that began to stream down his face Connor turned and looked at Faith.  
  
"Don't worry kid. You're too good for her anyway." Faith said, half flirting.  
  
"No. . . I think she's too good for me." Connor responded.  
  
"Well lucky for you I ain't." Faith said grabbing Connor's hand and pulling him into a nearby abandoned house.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
~*~ Well, what do ya'll think? It took me two weeks to write this because I kept having second thoughts on the way I was going to tell this part of the story. I promised that there would be no Connor/Cordy cuz that was gross considering she's like his mom, but I figured hey why not a little Faith hehehe. Let me know what you think okay! Keep reviewing! I'm writing this for you guys!!!!!!! I promise there will be another chapter very soon!!! Especially since I'm starting on it right now.~*~ 


	27. Mixed Feelings

~*~ I've received comments/complaints about not starting where I left off. If you are an avid fan of Buffy should know that the episodes usually never picked up where the last left off. I in turn am staying true to the form Joss the genius began with. For this chapter I will be starting approximately where I left off for the sake of the story. I hope you enjoy this chapter and please review!!!!! ~*~  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Erin thought she felt her heart skip a beat when Angel's lips touched the flesh of her cheek. 'Shit.' She thought. 'He's a vampire, he probably heard that. You love Connor remember. Or do you?'  
  
Angel pulled away from Erin and smiled as the two turned and continued their way towards Buffy's house. 'Did I just hear her heart skip a beat?' Angel pondered. 'No she's in love with my son and I'm in love with Cordelia.' He kept telling himself trying to reassure that there wasn't any kind of spark between the two of them.  
  
As much as he tried, Angel couldn't deny that there was a connection between him and the 'new' slayer. Perhaps it was his yearning for Buffy that was still burning his insides that attracted him to Erin. He noticed similarities in their strength and their love for family, as well as in their fears of being hurt. He glanced down at the light brown haired girl that leaned against him. She reminded him of Buffy, that's why he liked her. But there was something else. There was her own spark of individuality that attracted him to her.  
  
She hadn't known that it would be possible to feel so safe without Connor around. Granted, she felt safer with her Uncle, but as Erin leaned against Angel she felt pure comfort wipe away the fears that had engulfed her that night. She saw the kindness and gentleness of Connor in Angel, but she saw so much more. He was Connor to the 10th degree but stable.  
  
The two walked along silently to Buffy's house. Erin yawned from her lack of sleep and Angel wrapped his arm around her to keep her steady. As they made their way up the path to the Summer's house, the door flung open and out flew Xander.  
  
"She alright deadboy?" Xander asked Angel.  
  
"I'll be fine. Just need some alcohol attention on the hand." Erin said responding for herself as she waved her hand for him to view.  
  
"It's upstairs, broody can help you. He's the blood expert." Xander chuckled as the three headed inside.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Connor lay on his back still panting. He couldn't believe how amazing his night had turned out to be. He stared at the brunette laying next to him. She was smirking.  
  
"Thank you." Connor said lying on his side so he could look into Faith's eyes.  
  
"No thank you junior. Nice to find someone who can go on as long as I can." She replied.  
  
"So are we like a couple now?" Connor asked, slightly confused as to where they go from there.  
  
"A couple of what?" Faith remarked. "Look it was great sex kid. We can be fuck buddies sure, but I'm not the relationship kinda gal."  
  
"Oh." Connor said softly, sounding slightly disappointed.  
  
"But if you wanna make Buffy jr. jealous, I'm your girl." Faith responded, causing Connor to smile and nod his head willingly.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Erin sat as Angel finished wrapping up her hand.  
  
"Feel any better at all?" He asked.  
  
"A little." Erin said quietly.  
  
The sound of the front door opening and closing echoed through the house. Erin quickly got up to see if it was Connor. Hearing his voice she made her way to the top of the stairs.  
  
"Con . . . " She began, but when she saw the sight below she gasped, running back into the bathroom.  
  
Angel went to see what had caused her to run and saw the scene she had walked in on. Connor and Faith stood at the stairs making out like they had no need for oxygen.  
  
Walking back into the bathroom, Angel saw Erin sitting on the floor with a box of tissues, crying. "They always cheat on me." She whimpered.  
  
Angel, not knowing exactly what to do sat down next to her and let her cry on his shoulder. Wrapping his arms around her, he finally spoke. "My son's an ass. Did I tell you that he sent me to the bottom of the ocean last year? Can't drown but a vampire with no blood for 3 months usually starts to get some brain damage."  
  
Pulling away to face Angel Erin sniffed and replied. "He did?"  
  
"Yeah, he tried to kill me a few times too." Angel said staring into her eyes.  
  
"I'm glad he didn't succeed." Erin said as the tears slowly stopped rolling from her eyes.  
  
"Come on, let's get you to bed. You've been through a hell of a lot lately." Angel said helping her up.  
  
The two exited the bathroom and headed down the hall to Erin and Dawn's room.  
  
"I need to change." Erin said. "Turn around." Angel obediently listened and turned his back towards her. Erin quickly changed. "Alright it's okay now."  
  
She climbed into bed fixing the covers to her liking. "Well, goodnight." Angel said starting to leave.  
  
"Wait." Erin said calling after him. "You can, um stay here, if you'd like."  
  
"I don't know if that's such a good idea." Angel began.  
  
"I wasn't planning on trying anything, but never mind then." Erin said sounding hurt. She rolled over so that her back was facing him. Suddenly she felt someone lay down beside her and strong large arms wrap around her. She knew it was him.  
  
'What the hell am I doing?' Angel thought to himself as he lay there. 'She's only 18. I mean she's older than Buffy was when her and I were together but NO Erin and I aren't together, we're just friends'. And then the sounds of Spikes words echoed through his mind. "You're not friends, you'll never just be friends. You'll be in love until it kills you both." Shaking his head to get the thoughts that seemed to overcome any reasonable thought out of his head. Sighing, Angel closed his eyes and let himself rest.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Buffy and Spike arrived not too soon after Faith and Connor had. Spike headed into the kitchen to fix Buffy something to eat while Buffy went to check up on Erin. She reached the door to Erin's room and began to enter when she saw the scene in front of her. Backing away she bumped into Cordelia who in turn looked into the room. She turned and looked at Buffy, tears jerking at what Buffy had once thought were cold eyes. Music from the potentials one makeshift room carried into the hallway. The lyrics of the song only made Cordelia's tears spill faster.  
  
*These wounds won't seem to heal  
  
This pain is just too real  
  
There's just too much that time can not erase  
  
You cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
  
You scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
  
I held your hand through all of these years  
  
And you still have all of me*  
  
'I can't cry in front of Buffy.' Cordelia thought. Running she ran towards the room she shared with Fred. Tears blurring her vision she didn't see the person who she knocked into.  
  
"There is a reason that humans have eyes. So they don't walk around and run into each other." Xander said staring at his ex girlfriend. He looked closer at her and saw the tears streaming down her face. "Cordy, what's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing Xander just leave me alone." Cordelia bitched back. It was like her old self had been reincarnated.  
  
"No see I find that leaving you go when you're upset ends up with you and huge metal rod sticking through your body." Xander joked trying to make her laugh.  
  
A smile lightly graced Cordelia's face. "I forgot how much I missed you."  
  
"I missed you too." Xander responded. "Lets go take a walk or something."  
  
"Are you sure it's safe?" Cordelia questioned.  
  
"Well, not really but we can bring an axe." Xander replied  
  
"Sounds like a plan." She smiled as the two made their way down the stairs.  
  
Buffy just simply laughed as the two passed by. She hadn't seen Xander that well happy since he was engaged to Anya. Well the beginning of the engagement that is.  
  
Looking back in on the scene that the two girls had just witnessed she simply shook her head and thought. 'Spike won't be happy about this one.'  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"This house is turning into a soap opera." Willow said to Oz.  
  
"How do you get that?" The werewolf asked.  
  
"Well I saw Connor making out with Faith tonight, but I thought he and Erin were together. And didn't you just hear what was going on in the hallway? Cordelia crying! That must mean Angel is with someone else now, and it wouldn't be Buffy because she's totally in love with Spike, but I don't know who it would be then and I'm rambling on like an idiot." Willow giggled  
  
"People under estimate the value of a good ramble." Oz replied. "Plus, you're cute when you ramble."  
  
"And then with Tara being back, it's weird." Willow said staring at the floor.  
  
"I know you love her Willow." Oz stated bluntly.  
  
"Yea but I love you too Oz!" Willow defended herself.  
  
"I know sweetie, it's okay. I understand." Oz said wrapping his arms around the redhead and kissing the tip of her nose.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"This is so weird. And so cool." Dawn said staring at Tara.  
  
"Dawnie it's not like I just showed up now. I've been here for a little bit now." Tara replied.  
  
"I know, but you don't understand how much I missed you!" Dawn said, hugging the Wiccan again for about the 20th time since her return.  
  
"Dawnie just remember I'm not back for good. But now we'll get to somewhat enjoy our time together while I'm here." Tara said smiling as the two began to chat about everything that had gone on in Sunnydale.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Am I the only one that feels left out of the loop here?" Fred said as the Angel group minus Angel, Wesley, and Connor sat out on the back steps.  
  
"No we all do sweet cakes." Lorne replied.  
  
"It's just they all have this connection. Either that or they're busy trying to get busy with a slayer." Gunn was disgruntled at Connor's recent display with Faith.  
  
"We just don't. . ." Fred began.  
  
Gunn butted in. "fit in here."  
  
The three looked at each other. None one rebutted the last remark.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Tara, would you take a look at this please, I'm unsure of some of my interpretations." Giles said walking in with a book in hand.  
  
"Sure." Looking over a few paragraphs she placed her finger on one sentence. " Here it is again. The North South East West thing that was on the website. This goes into more detail saying that there are 4 people involved all whom are connected in some way. I can't make out exactly what else it says, but it says here something about 2 warriors and 2 evil consciences."  
  
"That's a great deal of information but how is that supposed to help us. Two warriors, we have 3 slayers so it can't be them." Giles pondered.  
  
"Didn't it say something about a connection between the four?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Two evil consciences well we have those." Wesley said entering the room.  
  
"They have a connection as well through Drusillia." Giles proclaimed.  
  
"But who are the two warriors then?" Dawn questioned.  
  
"Buffy and Faith obviously." Wesley replied.  
  
"There is no connection between Faith and Angel and Spike. The only connection to anyone is Buffy because of both being slayers." Giles said shooting down the younger former watchers idea.  
  
Tara looked up at the three after Giles's comment and smiled. "I have it. Angel and Spike are connected through Drusillia. Buffy and Erin are connected through the slayer line. Angel has bitten Buffy as well as Erin, so there is the connection from him, Spike is Erin's great to the 5th degree Uncle so there's the connection there."  
  
"What about the connection between Spike and Buffy? There's a blood connection between all of them but those two." Giles questioned.  
  
"Oh please." Came Anya's voice from behind them. "The way those two screwed like bunnies last year I'm sure he bit her PLENTY of times."  
  
"Visual not needed Anya." Giles responded.  
  
"That, er, is probably true." Tara replied.  
  
"Well now that we know who the direction people are, how is that going to help us?" Dawn asked.  
  
"I'm not sure Dawn, but it's a start." Giles said smiling at the girl and heading back into the dinning room.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
~*~ I needed to end this chapter here because it wouldn't fit to put all of the other things in this same chapter. The other one will be started right now. Please let me know what you think. I love your reviews. Also the song that was used above was Evanescence "My Immortal" how appropriate for a Buffy story hehehe.~*~ 


	28. All I Need

~*~Thanks for all the great reviews! You guys are wonderful! Please keep reviewing!!! ~*~  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
* * * *  
  
Buffy rolled over and looked at the occupant on her floor. "I like seeing you first thing in the morning."  
  
Angel smiled slightly. "It's bedtime for me."  
  
"Well, then I like seeing you at bedtime. Um, um, ha. . .you-you know what  
  
I mean." Buffy said stumbling over her words.  
  
"I think so. What do you mean?" Angel replied.  
  
~ ~  
  
Buffy tried to keep the tears from falling. "Close your eyes." She said to a resouled Angel. She kissed him goodbye, pulling the sword back and thrusting it into him.  
  
* * * *  
  
Erin woke with a start. She looked next to her and saw Angel lying asleep. Getting up she walked half asleep to the bathroom. The house was silent, as everyone had finally gone to sleep. Turning on the water she splashed her face with the cool liquid and looked in the mirror. 'Why do I keep having these dreams and visions of the past.' She thought to herself.  
  
Jumping she felt a cold hand on her shoulder. Turning around she saw the face of her Uncle. "I smell him on you." Spike snarled slightly.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about." Erin responded playing dumb.  
  
"His scent is all over you. What did you do with him?" Spike demanded.  
  
"Nothing happened. He just slept with me that's it." Erin replied getting agitated.  
  
"You had sex with him?!" Spike exclaimed  
  
"No we slept together, as in the same bed." Erin said raising her tone.  
  
"I don't care, why are you even in that close of proximity of him?!" Spike interrogated his niece.  
  
"Because maybe I like being around him." Erin retorted.  
  
"Just yesterday you told his son you loved him." Spike said confused  
  
"I thought I did, maybe I do maybe I don't. It doesn't matter anymore, I saw him making out with Faith tonight. Why do you even care? You've been screwing Buffy for over a year now and that was when you were soulless. You expect me to not be attracted to Angel? He may not be a normal guy, but hey look at me I'm not normal. I'm a slayer who has a great-great- great-uncle who's a vampire. I can't explain why I'm attracted to him but I am. Is that what you want to hear? Fine I feel something for him. Are you happy now?" Erin rasped.  
  
"Course I'm not happy. There's no way I approve of this." Spike replied angrily.  
  
"I'm not asking for your approval." Erin said moving past him and exiting the bathroom.  
  
Running after her Spike grabbed Erin's arm and turned her around. "Do you know what will happen if you fuck him?"  
  
"Yes I know, I was in the hotel when Cordy saw him missing." Erin replied. "What does this have to do with anything?"  
  
"Because I don't want you to end up dead." Spike answered with concern in his voice.  
  
"I'm not Buffy, I don't need sex to have a relationship with someone." Erin said darkly.  
  
"Don't you ever speak bad about her again." Spike snarled.  
  
"Then stay out of my life." Erin snapped back heading into her room.  
  
Spike leaned against the wall and sighed. 'What the hell am I gonna do.' Was all he could think. ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Erin returned to her room and shut and locked the door behind her, afraid of what her Uncle might do. Turning around she saw Angel sitting up in bed. "Hey." He said.  
  
"How much of that did you hear?" Erin asked.  
  
"All of it." Angel replied looking down at his hands shyly.  
  
"Oh." Erin said quietly sitting down on her side of the bed.  
  
"Do you love my son?" Angel asked.  
  
Erin sat silently not sure of what to say. Finally she spoke. "I don't think so." Slowly she looked up at Angel and stared into his eyes. "Because if I was in love with him, it would actually hurt right now that he cheated on me. But sitting here, with you, I could care less."  
  
Reaching out her hand Erin gently placed hers in Angel's and smiled at him. "I don't know what it is, but there's just something here. I feel it inside me."  
  
Angel smiled. "I feel it too." The smile however was quickly turned into a frown when he thought of his past relationship with Buffy and what had happened with Cordelia not too long ago. "But I can't give you everything you need." He said pulling his hand away from hers.  
  
"You don't get to decide what I need. All I need is to be with you. All I need is to have you around me. That's it." Erin said getting up and walking to the window. She gazed at the stars that lit up the darkened Sunnydale and sighed. "We don't know what's going to happen with the First. We don't know who will live and who will die. All I know is, I don't want to die living a lie. I won't be with Connor and tell him that I love him just because I feel like my life is coming to and end and I want someone with me when my end comes. And I won't deny my feelings for you either."  
  
"You're not going to die." Angel responded getting up and going to the window, wrapping his arms around Erin's waist.  
  
"I'm a slayer. I know I'm new at this and that I don't understand everything about being a slayer, or even understanding my powers. . . but I do know that we come with an expiration date stamped on our heads." Erin said placing her hands over Angel's.  
  
"I'll do everything in my power to make sure that that expiration date is far in the future." Angel replied, not really wanting to think about Erin dying.  
  
"No one can promise that I'll live through this. I'm extremely under- trained and I let my emotions get in the way of everything." Erin ran a hand through her hair and looked up and the man who's embrace she was in.  
  
Angel turned Erin to face him. "Are you kidding me? You're amazing. You saved my life. That's what slayers do, they save lives. You killed Dru. I mean, she was crazy, but she's done in a slayer before. You're brave, thoughtful, sweet, and absolutely beautiful."  
  
"You think I'm beautiful?" Erin asked gazing up at him.  
  
"Absolutely." Angel said smiling. Leaning down, he tilted her chin and leaned in kissing her gently on the lips. He pulled away slightly, and looked at her. Leaning back in, he deepened the kiss. Remembering that Erin needed to breathe, he pulled away and smiled at her. "Come on, let's get some rest." He said as they made their way to the bed.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Cordelia and Xander had walked along in silence for what appeared to be ages. Looking at the building they were approaching, Cordelia realized where he had intentionally taken her. "Never thought I'd see this again." She said as she gazed at the Bronze.  
  
"Yeah well, I never thought I'd see you again." Xander smiled at his ex.  
  
Seemingly ignoring what Xander had just pointed out, Cordelia walked towards the once extremely familiar building. "Wish it was open."  
  
Xander's eyes brightened at the comment. He finally knew what he could do for the group. "Yeah, that would be nice wouldn't it?" Looking down at his watch, he realized how late it was. "We should get back, get some rest."  
  
Nodding, Cordelia reached out for Xander, whom grasped her hand in his as they made their way back to Buffy's house.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
A sleepy and disgruntled Buffy glared at her lover. "Spike it's 3:00 in the morning would you stop pacing and get in bed so we both can sleep?"  
  
"They're together. I didn't mind the son, but the big poof, I don't approve of that. He has no self-control. Screw her the first time he gets a chance to, turns into an evil poof and kills my niece. This is givin' me an ulcer!" Spike ranted continuing his pacing.  
  
"Spike you can't get an ulcer, you're a vampire! And I doubt Erin will be that stupid to sleep with him. Plus he's not stupid enough to do it again." Buffy replied rubbing her eyes from lack of sleep.  
  
"He did it twice, once with you, then with Cordelia. He just can't keep 'ittle Angel in his pants!" Spike protested. "Why isn't this upsetting you?! He's supposed to be this big love 'f yours and 'our just sleepin' it away!"  
  
"Spike, I love you, not Angel. However, if you don't let me sleep I won't be loving anyone in the morning." Buffy huffed.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Did you leave a note?" Fred asked Gunn as they made sure they had everything they needed.  
  
"Yeah we're good." Gunn replied. "You ready Lorne?"  
  
"Just a moment." Glancing around Lorne sighed. With that the three walked out the front door and packed their things into Angel's car.  
  
"You sure he won't miss this thing?" Gunn asked.  
  
"With his new love toy, I doubt it." Lorne replied as Gunn started up the car and the three made their way back to L.A.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
'I must be hearing things.' Angel thought to himself. A few seconds ago he could've sworn he heard a car start up. "Erin?" He whispered just incase she had already fallen asleep.  
  
"Yeah?" Erin said turning over to look at him.  
  
"Did you just hear a car start or was that me?" Angel questioned.  
  
"Yea I heard it too why?" Erin asked. Right after she finished her sentence Angel sat up and walked over to the door. Looking down he saw a white slip of paper with Gunn's handwriting on it. Angel leaned down, picked it up and brought it back over to the bed to read. Sitting on the bed, Erin kneeled on the bed so she could see over his shoulders, and wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
~  
  
Angel,  
  
We know when we're not needed. Took your car, going back to L.A. We'll be the second front.  
  
Gunn, Fred, and Lorne  
  
~  
  
"They left." Angel said sounding astonished.  
  
"Do you want to go with them?" Erin questioned, dreading the possible answer.  
  
"No." Angel stated firmly. "I'm needed here." Turning his head he lightly kissed her on the lips. "And I'm not leaving you."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
~*~ Alright again sorry for the delay. . . in the next chapter prepare for some bronzing as things go "back to the beginning." I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Please keep reviewing!!!!!!! They help me out a lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~*~ 


	29. Things Happen

~*~ Sorry for the delay but I FINALLY got my new computer!!! So hopefully the chapters will be coming alot faster now that i don't have to worry about the computer restarting every other second. Thanks for the fabulous reviews! Please Please keep reviewing!!! ~*~  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"This isn't love fest '03, we do actually have a world to concur." The First exclaimed extremely frustrated.  
  
"Don't worry. Very soon they will all be seperated." Adam said roboticly  
  
"Seperated into powerful pairs. . . great plan." Caleb's southern twang sounded through the room.  
  
"I was programed with a hackneyed phrase. . . let me search my data banks. Ah, here it is. . . Patience is a virtue." Adam retorted  
  
"ENOUGH!" The First as Buffy screamed. "All I know is that I better not be wasting my time with this."  
  
"It should all play out soon." Adam replied.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Erin opened one eye only to see daylight beginning to pour into the room. Suddenly she realized that there was an arm around her waist and quickly jumped up and pulled down the shades. Glancing at a sleeping Angel and then at the clock, she decided to go downstairs and make breakfast for everyone. Making her way quietly downstairs, the smell of bacon caught her nose. She walked into the kitchen and saw two people. Both of whom she didn't want to see.  
  
Looking up from the table Cordelia smiled at Erin. "Hi."  
  
"Hi." Erin said slowly. Walking over and grabbing herself a cup of coffee.  
  
Turning around Erin noticed that Cordelia had vacated the kitchen quietly and left her with the other occupant, Connor.  
  
"Can we talk?" Connor asked.  
  
"What's to talk about?" Erin replied sitting down at the Island. "I saw you and Faith macking it by the way."  
  
"Only after I saw you kiss my father in the graveyard." Connor retorted  
  
"What are you talking about? Nothing happened between Angel and I until we got back here and I saw you making out with Faith." Erin responded slamming down her coffee cup.  
  
"You had sex with my father?!" Connor screamed  
  
"No, the only one souless in this house is you." Erin hollared back at a higher sound level than Connor. "God knows you had sex with Faith. That's what she's all about from what I've been told."  
  
"It doesn't matter what happened, you cheated on me first." Connor said clenching his fists so hard that they started to turn white.  
  
"I told you nothing happened until after I saw you two." Erin screamed. Then lowering her voice she continued. "It doesn't matter now anyway. I lied when I said that I loved you. I was afraid you'd be the last person to tell me that. I was afraid that I'm going to die in this fight."  
  
"You bitch!" Connor screamed pushing Erin off the stool. "You used me!" He ranted as he straddled her and began pounding on her as he had done before.  
  
Erin however didn't fight back. "I care about you Connor as a friend, but I don't love you." She responded taking the beating.   
  
Suddenly Angel walked in and saw what was going on. Running over he grab Connor and pulled him off Erin, throwing him across the room into the wall. "What the hell is your problem?!" Kneeling down Angel checked on the bleeding Erin. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm alright." She responded as he picked her up and took her into the living room, laying her on the couch.  
  
"Why didn't you fight back?" Angel questioned grabbing her hand.  
  
"Because I guess I feel like I deserve it." Erin replied.  
  
"No you don't. If anyone deserves it, he does." Angel replied.  
  
Erin simplyed smiled as she sat up.  
  
Leaning in Angel lightly brushed her lips. Her mouth opened slightly in anticipation as he leaned in and deepened the kiss. Erin moaned slightly as Angel, without breaking the kiss shifted Erin so that she was sitting on his lap. Erin's tangled her fingers in his hair as his hands made their way down her back. The kiss continued and grew more pationate with each moment until they were finally interupted.  
  
"Ya know, you don't really need to rub this in my face." Cordelia's voice sounded through the room.  
  
Pulling apart, Erin went to get up off Angel's lap however he wrapped his arms around her causing her to stay.  
  
Angel was about to respond when in walked Xander who walked up kissed Cordelia on the cheek and proceed to make his way to the kitchen. Cordelia blushed slightly, realizing how stupid her comment now was and followed him into the kitchen. There was little time for the two to converse as a second later Connor walked in the room fuming. Two more seconds later Spike, Buffy, Faith, Giles, Wesley, Willow, and Oz came running down the stairs as Dawn, Tara, Kennedy and the potentials ran up the basement all obviously checking out what was going on.  
  
"Bloody hell what is going on down here?!" Spike demanded. Turning his head toward the living room he saw Erin sitting on Angels lap causing him to snarl unknowingly, however others noticed. He took notice to the fact that Erin's face was bloody then as he glanced at Connor he saw he was bleeding as well. Spike morphed into his vampire facade but just stood there seezing in anger.  
  
"Spike, what are you doing?" Buffy asked staring at her lover.  
  
"I'm trying to decide which poof I'm going to tear apart first." Spike replied. He looked back and forth as if to pick which one through a childs game.  
  
"Spike no, that's not going to help the situation." Buffy said trying to be the reasonable one. She grabbed ahold of his arm, however knowing that his paternal type instincts were kicking in.  
  
Erin got up off of Angel's lap and slowly walked toward Spike as if he was a motion detected bomb. When she finally reached the still seething Spike she simply wrapped her arms around him. "I love you Uncle William."  
  
Everyone in the room seemed to be frozen as they stared at the scene. Suddenly Spike's vampire mask faded and he wrapped his arms around his niece. "I love you too Erin."  
  
As the two broke apart the tensity in the room was relieved briefly until Spike and Angel locked eyes. Before anything could happen however Erin fainted however was caught by Spike.  
  
* * * *  
  
Spike glared at the two who were unwilling to accept what at that moment in time was the truth. "You're not friends. You'll never be friends. You'll be in love till it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag, and you'll hate each other till it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood... blood screaming inside you to work its will. I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it."  
  
There was a bright flash and another scene played inside Erin's head.  
  
Angel looked on sadly at Buffy. "I'm leaving." He said, staring at the reaction on her face. "After the Ascension, after it's finished with the Mayor and Faith. If we survive, I'll go."   
  
Buffy looked at him in bewilderment. "Where?"   
  
Angel looking down at the ground replied. "I don't know."   
  
Eyes glazing over Buffy couldn't believe what was going on. "Is this really happening?"   
  
The scene flashed to 3 years in the future. Music began playing in Erin's head as the scene played out.  
  
Buffy and Spike stood in the alley behind the Bronze.   
  
Buffy shut up Spike so she could speak. "Spike. . . " And then she began singing, "I touch the fire and It freezes me."  
  
Spike looked into Buffy's eyes and sang his on lament. "I died.'  
  
Moving closer to Spike, Buffy continued, "I look into it and it's black."  
  
Spike began moving closer as well. "So many years ago."  
  
Buffy kept trying to explain what she was thinking. "This isn't real but I just wanna feel."  
  
Spike in unison with Buffy's verse. "But you can make me feel."  
  
The two moved in and captured each others lips as music continued in the background.  
  
* * * *  
  
Erin sat up suddenly and saw that she was in the middle of the Summers' living room with everyone staring at her. "Wow, that was really odd." She said rubbing her eyes.  
  
"What did you see?" Giles asked curious as to what these fainting spells and dreams were all about.  
  
"The past I assume, but some of it seemed so odd." Erin responded.  
  
"What things from the past did you see?" Giles interrogated.  
  
"Well there was one scene that was Spike, Buffy, and Angel. Spike was saying something about being loves bitch." Erin replied looking at Angel who was sitting by her side. She then noticed that he was holding her hand.  
  
"Bloody hell I remember that. That was when I kidnapped Red and the Whelp so she could do a love spell to get Dru ba. . . " Spike stopped suddenly realizing that it wasn't exactly the best story to start discussing.  
  
"What else did you see?" Buffy asked, slightly worried about the things from the Scoobies past that they would rather most not know about.  
  
"There was you and Angel." Erin said looking about Buffy. "He was telling you that 'this' wasn't some fairy tale. And then you said something like kissing him made you want to die."  
  
At that point Angel looked up at Buffy who exchanged looks.  
  
"And the last one," Erin said trying to advert the reaction of the last vision she had. "is the one that was really odd. It was Buffy and Spike, in an alley, singing."  
  
A smile cracked onto Angel's face and all who had not been around for Sweets began laughing.  
  
"Actually, that happened." Anya said smiling as she remembered her break-away pop hit.  
  
"But the real question at hand is why Erin is having these visions of past events." Wesley said, taking off his glasses in pure watcher fashion.  
  
"Have you had other visions?" Giles questioned.  
  
"Yes." Erin replied solomly. She hadn't wanted to talk about the others she saw.  
  
"What were in those?" He continued.  
  
"Well there was Spike and Buffy in a school, one with Buffy and Angel talking about a key and 'they' not liking him, one that had the Master telling Buffy she's dead, and one where Buffy was in her bed talking to Angel who was lying on the floor." Erin squinting her eyes as to think harder.  
  
"Anything else?" Angel questioned, looking into Erin's eyes knowing that there was something else.  
  
"Yea. There was one with you and Buffy." Erin responded.  
  
"Well that doesn't really narrow it down much." Giles replied sighing. "Do you remember anything about it?"  
  
"I remember." Erin said, feeling a sudden sympathy for what Buffy had went through. "Angel was telling Buffy that he was leaving. That after the fight was over, he was going to leave." Erin looked up at Angel as if to question if he was going to do that to her.  
  
"What I don't understand is why you're seeing things about Buffy's past relationships. Even the Master situation had to do with her relationships. It was Xander and Angel who found her right after she died." Willow looking very puzzled by the situation.  
  
"Maybe it has something to do with the First." A voice came from behind Buffy and Spike. Everyone turned and looked at Dawn who was sitting on the steps with a pad and paper. She appeared to be taking everything down.  
  
"What's that you have Dawn?" Giles asked.  
  
"Well, I've kinda been keeping some of my own records. Hasn't anyone noticed the craziness thats been going on around here. It's just like back when Adam was here. When everyone turned against each other. Except now instead of having someone infultrate the group and spread idea's around, it's like the First is using some of it's powers to mess with the emotions of us." Dawn explained.  
  
"Dawn, I think you bloody well may have something there." Giles responded going over and taking a look at Dawn's notes.  
  
"So what you're saying that Erin is getting visions like me but they're more vague?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"I believe it may have something to do with the slayer dreams and visions that all slayers get, however it seems odd that all of them focus on Buffy's past." Giles replied, not exactly sure what was going on.  
  
"Well, it could be because Buffy really should be dead right now." Anya blurted out.  
  
"Anya!" Xander yelled.  
  
"Not that I want you dead Buffy." Anya tried to redeem herself.  
  
"Ya know I had dreams of the future that made me leave Anya at the alter, do you think that maybe this is some kind of warning for Erin?" Xander asked, realizing that he maybe shouldn't have said anything while Anya was in the room.  
  
"Warning me of what?!" Erin exclaimed  
  
"To not ruin your life by falling in love with a demon." Connor's voice came from behind the crowd of people.  
  
Erin glared in the direction of his voice angrily. She quickly got to her feet and pushed her way through the many people who managed to live in the Summer's house. She now stood infront of Connor. "He's not a demon." She almost growled.  
  
"Vampire's are demon's you moron." Connor replied.  
  
"He's a good man." Erin responded angrily  
  
"Yeah right. He's hit me." Connor screamed.  
  
"And you always deserve it." Erin yelled back. She raised her fist and connected it with his jaw sending him back into the wall. She went to walk over to hit him again when a hand grabbed her arm holding her back. Turning she looked into Angel's eyes. They seemed to agree with what Connor had said about her ruining her life. Feeling tears jerk at her eyes she pulled from his grip and ran upstairs.  
  
"What did you do?" Spike demanded as he was ready to head up the stairs.  
  
"She is ruining her life if she falls in love with me." Angel replied solomny.  
  
Spike glared at Angel then turned and headed upstairs.  
  
"And who are you to say that she is?" Buffy said from behind Angel. He turned and looked at the first slayer he had ever loved. "You don't get to decide what she wants to do with her life, just like you didn't get to decide what I should do with my life. But then again you really didn't lave me a choice, you just up and left."  
  
"Buffy, you know it was for the best." Angel replied.  
  
"Yeah it was because now I've found who I really belong with. But how do you know that you don't belong with Erin. There's got to be more of a reason for the powers sending you back than to just redeem yourself. How do you know that you weren't supposed to meet the person you're SUPPOSED to be with. We all know about the Shanshu prophecy. If you turn human, you two CAN have a normal life." Buffy ranted.  
  
"That could be years from now Buffy. I can't make her wait like that." Angel responded.  
  
"How do you know that she's not willing to wait?" Buffy questioned.  
  
"It doesn't matter what she's willing to do, I can't let her do that." Angel said.  
  
"It's not your choice Angel. You can't control everything." Buffy replied.   
  
Angel stared at her knowing that she was right. The two embraced as the argument ceased. 'What am I going to do.' Angel thought. 'I hurt Erin already and we don't even have a defined relationship yet.'  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Erin lay on what had now become her bed crying when she heard a knock on the door. "Come in." She wimpered.  
  
"You alright 'rin." Spike asked as he shut the door behind him. 'I can smell the bloody poof in this room.' Spike thought to himself. Shaking off the wiggins that it gave him he walked over and sat with Erin.  
  
"I . . . sniff . . . guess." Erin replied sitting up.  
  
"I'm sorry about our fight the 'ther night. Whatever make's you happy will make me happy." Spike pulled Erin into his embrace letting her cry on his shoulder.   
  
Another knock sounded on the door. "Come in." Erin wimpered again.  
  
Angel walked in and looked at the two as if asking permission to be in the room.  
  
"I'll be downstairs if you need me." Spike said knowing that he should leave the two alone. "Hurt her and you die." Spike whispered to Angel on the way out.  
  
After Spike exited the room Angel closed the door. "Erin, I'm so sorry."   
  
"Angel I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I want to be with you, but if you don't want to be with me I guess I understand." Erin repsonded.  
  
"I do want to be with you Erin, but I'm not human." Angel replied.  
  
"I don't care what you are, I care who you are." Erin said smile slightly.  
  
"I could never make myself not want to be with you. You make it so hard." Angel said smiling. "I'll try to never hurt you again. I don't like that look on your face when you're hurt."  
  
Erin smiled and leaned in kissing Angel lightly.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"This is ridiculas. This entire house is turning into a living soap opera." Kennedy mumbled.  
  
"And no one wants any part of you." The first said in Buffy form.  
  
"Maybe I'm fighting on the wrong side." Kennedy said. Her frown suddenly turned into a somewhat evil grin as she grabbed her jacket and left the house.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
~*~ Aight so again I appologize for taking so long. This chapter took longer than expected. Please let me know what you think. Reviews always help me get motivated to write more. I would've posted this chapter last night, however Hurrican Isabel made a visit to PA so I had other things to attend to. I should have the next chapter up by next weekend.~*~ 


	30. Night of No Silence

~*~ I'm so sorry that I've taken SOOOOOOOOO long to update but there have been a lot of things going on right now in my life. I hope you enjoy this long awaited chapter!!~*~  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Xander had everything ready. Now all he needed was a reason to get everyone out of the house.  
  
Everyone was sitting in the living room discussing amongst themselves getting ready for seemingly another lecture like speach from Buffy. Cordelia stood up to make her way towards Xander when she suddenly doubled over in pain from an impending vision.  
  
"OWWWWWWWWW." She screamed.  
  
"What do you see Cordy?" Angel asked, used to dealing with this.  
  
"The Bronze. I see figures there. It's not really clear." Cordelia replied.  
  
"Lets head out." Buffy replied grabbing her coat and bag of weapons.  
  
"All of us?" Dawn asked excitedly.  
  
"Yes all of you." Buffy figuring she couldn't keep them all locked up there forever.  
  
Xander and Cordelia slipped away without being noticed and hoped into his car.  
  
All the remaining vehicles carried everyone else. Buffy, Faith, and Erin were the first out of the cars. They looked at each other questioning what they were hearing. Everyone else quickly jumped out of the cars as the three slayers made their way in the open door.  
  
"What the. . ." Buffy began.  
  
"SURPRISE!" Yelled Cordelia and Xander.  
  
"You deliberatly lied about a vision to bring everyone out here and waste valuable time?!" Giles exclaimed.  
  
"Oh come on g-man everyone needs a break." Xander replied. He immediately put on a loud song so he couldn't hear what Giles was saying.  
  
All the potentials were jumping around and dancing with each other and staring at Connor now that he and Erin were no more.  
  
"I miss playing here." Oz said to Willow as he stared at the more than familliar stage.  
  
"What is this place?" Erin turning to Angel asked.  
  
Angel paused for a moment remembering the first time he was Buffy dancing in the Bronze. Quickly he left those thoughts behind and answered Erin. "It's the Bronze. It was their high school hang out."  
  
"Oh. Buffy moment huh." Erin said walking away to a near by table.  
  
Xander quickly changed songs "Alright lets have our first slow dance." Cordelia rolled her eyes as she saw the gwaky old Xander shinning through.  
  
Spike held out his hand to Buffy and the two immediately took the floor. Buffy however wasn't looking at Spike. Her and Angels eyes were locked.  
  
*   
  
I know when he's been on your mind  
  
That distant look is your eyes  
  
I thought with time you'd realize it's over, over  
  
It's not the way I choose to live  
  
But something somewheres got to give  
  
As sharing this relationship gets older, older  
  
You know I'd fight for you  
  
But how can I fight someone who isn't even there  
  
I've had the rest of you  
  
Now I want the best of you  
  
I don't care if that's not fair  
  
Cuz I want it all  
  
Or nothing at all  
  
Theres nowhere left to fall  
  
When you reach the bottom it's now or never  
  
Is it all  
  
Or are we just friends   
  
Is this how it ends  
  
With a simple telephone call   
  
You leave me here   
  
With nothing at all  
  
*  
  
It really was over. Just that look into each others eyes the realization came over them. They would never work. They had found other people. Buffy smiled at Angel who in turn did the same.  
  
Spike smiled. He knew what had just happened. He may not have replaced Angel in her heart, no one would ever make him leave. But he was in her heart as well. She felt for him what she had felt for Angel. For that, he was more than grateful. . . he was overwhelmed.  
  
Angel walked over to Erin who had watched the exchanged but hadn't understood like Spike had. Angel cleared his throat. "May I have this dance?"  
  
"Wouldn't you rather dance with Buffy? I mean we all may die, you should spend time with the one you love." Erin replied staring down at the table.  
  
"That's why I want to dance with you." Angel replied.  
  
Erin turned her head towards Angel's. "You can't play mind games with me Angel. I can only take so much."  
  
"I'm through playing games." He replied as he swept in and placed a passionate kiss on her surprised lips. "I want to let myself love again. I've been so worried about the curse, about how it would affect the girl if I ever fell in love again."  
  
"I don't care about the curse. Just being with you is enough for me." Erin replied.  
  
"Come on, lets show those two up." He motioned towards Spike and Buffy. Erin jumped to her feet and the two made their way and began dancing in close proximity or the other two.  
  
Connor stood glaring. The hatred he had for his father seethed even more when he heard what Angel said. 'He loves her.' he thought 'He took her from me.'  
  
Faith saw the downtrodden boy and grabbed his hand pulling him to the dance floor as well. "Considered this a favor for the other night." She explained as the two began dancing.  
  
Willow and Oz then joined the 3 couples on the dance floor. It had been forever since they danced but the familiar feeling of Oz's arms around her was there.  
  
Soon after Xander and Cordelia made their way onto the floor as well. "It's almost like high school again." Xander said as the two began dancing.  
  
"Except for the fact that Buffy is with Bleach Boy and the Brooding king is with the new slayer." Cordelia replied.  
  
"I meant us." He replied. "I wonder if there are any janitor closets here?"  
  
"Xander!!" Cordelia exclaimed. She then leaned in and lightly kissed him on the lips.  
  
"You never kissed me in front of anyone when we were dating." Xander replied.  
  
"Well I was stupid then." She responded as the two joined lips again.  
  
"Come on Rupert." Anya exclaimed grabbing the watcher and pulling him out on the floor. "I won't be the only Scooby not dancing."  
  
"Bloody hell." Giles responded.  
  
*  
  
Cause you and I   
  
Could lose it all if you've got no more room  
  
No room  
  
Inside  
  
For me in your life  
  
Cause i want it all  
  
Or nothing at all  
  
Theres nowhere left to fall  
  
It's now or never  
  
Is it all   
  
Or nothing at all  
  
Theres nowhere left to fall  
  
When you reach the bottom   
  
It's now or never  
  
Is it all  
  
Or are we just friends  
  
Is this how it ends  
  
With a simple telephone call   
  
You leave me here  
  
With nothing at all  
  
Or nothing at all  
  
Theres nowhere left to fall  
  
When you reach the bottom   
  
It's now or never  
  
Is it all  
  
Or are we just friends  
  
Is this how it ends  
  
With a simple telephone call   
  
You leave me here  
  
With nothing at all  
  
*  
  
The slow song ended and a dance hit came on. All of the couples broke apart, with the exception of Buffy and Spike, Angel and Erin, and Willow and Oz. They stayed on the dance floor holding each other as if the song had not yet ended.  
  
"I need to tell you something Erin." Angel said.  
  
"Yes?" She replied.  
  
"I meant what I said. That I wanted to be with the one that I loved." He paused.  
  
Erin smiled and gazed into his eyes.  
  
"I love you." He finished.  
  
Erin felt her heart jump. It's what she'd been waiting to hear. Out of the Corner of her eye she saw Spike and Buffy staring at them waiting to hear her reply. She then realized the music was off and everyone else was staring. Grabbing Angel's hand she pulled him along to the VIP-like area which was more private. Sitting down on the couch Erin rested against Angel. "I love you too." She said suddenly.  
  
In reaction to her words Angel spun Erin around. "What did you say?"  
  
"I love you too." She repeated.  
  
"Do you know how long it's been since I've heard those words?" Angel responded.  
  
Erin leaned in and kissed him lightly. "I love you." She whispered. She then kissed him and again. "I love you." she whispered again.  
  
Everyone in the Bronze stopped what they were doing when a loud crash outside was heard.  
  
Erin and Angel quickly motioned that they would take the back exit so whatever it was would be surrounded on all sides.  
  
Buffy and Spike opened the door and gasped at what they saw.  
  
Erin and Angel walked around and did the same.  
  
"You were killed!" Buffy exclaimed.  
  
"Twice!" Erin added.  
  
"What can I say. Death is never a permanant fate of mine." The Master replied as he wiped the blood from his mouth. The four then looked down and saw whose blood it was. Kenneday lay face down on the ground.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
~*~ I hope you enjoyed my FINALLY updated chapter. Please Please Please Please Please Please review!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really want to know what you think and how much you want me to continue. ~*~ 


	31. Something About Tomorrow

~*~ Sorry it's been forever but I've so much going on. I really will try to update more often. Hope you enjoy this chapter.... PLEASE REVIEW.... I'd like to know that people are still reading this! We're getting close to the end.... i promise i'll go out with bang!~*~  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Everyone stared in awe as the Master moved towards them. Suddenly he shifted into Kennedy.  
  
"The first." Buffy whispered.  
  
"But how, you're not corporeal." Xander said.  
  
"Are you guys really that stupid? You think thats who killed the girl?" Came a voice from behind Erin and Angel. Everyone turned in the direction and saw who was speaking.  
  
"Harm? You've got to be blooding kidding? You're working with the ultimate evil?" Spike exclaimed in disbelief.  
  
"Don't act so surprised blondie bear. After all I learned from the best." Harmony responded winking at him.  
  
"And of course she has great allies as well." A robotic voice came from the other side of the group. Everyone turned and saw Adam, however Erin kept her gaze on Harmony.  
  
"Although we are missing a few who felt the calling of the light was too strong for them." Mayor Wilkins chimed in walking up next to Adam, staring at Faith, and then at Angel.  
  
"And then there's those who have their friends keeping them in line." Warren now stood next to Harmony, glaring at Willow.  
  
"Holy backpeddle batman. Warren?!" Andrew exclaimed.  
  
"Shush." Anya said smacking him in the back of the head.  
  
"And of course, there's those who are just too overconfident." Caleb stood next to Kennedy/the first.  
  
"So you see, there is no chance that you will defeat us this time." Adam said.  
  
"I beg to differ." A voice sounded as Adam was kicked to the ground. Everyones eyes locked on the figure that had stood behind him.  
  
"Riley?" Buffy said.  
  
"Hey Buffy." Riley said smiling. "How about we talk later and run now."  
  
Everyone quickly ran as if on cue.  
  
Buffy and Spike rounded up the end just in case they caught up with them but when they looked back they saw they weren't being followed.  
  
"I don't think it's ready for whatever it's plan is luv." Spike stated.  
  
"Then we have to attack it before it attacks us." She responded.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Why are you back?" Buffy questioned breathlessly as she hung up her coat.  
  
"Gee how about nice to see you." Riley responded.  
  
"I'm sorry it's just odd." She replied.  
  
"Tell me about it." Spike said wrapping his arms around Buffy.  
  
"Spike." Riley said nodded at him.  
  
"Captin Cardboard." Spike replied smirking.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
In the other room conversations began. Erin and Angel made their way up to the bedroom she shared with Dawn for some privacy.  
  
The two sat on the bed. Leaning against the post, Angel let Erin lay against as he encompassed her with his arms.  
  
"So I'm confused. Who's the guy?" Erin asked.  
  
"Riley, one of Buffy's old boyfriends." Angel responded with hatred in his voice.  
  
"I take it you don't like him." Erin said laughing.  
  
"Not one bit." Angel replied. He kissed her on the top of her head feeling her relax finally and make herself more comfortable.  
  
Angel sensed her immediately before she spoke. "I hate to interupt this but Spike and I need to talk to you two." Buffy said standing at the door.  
  
"Sure come on in." Erin said however not moving from her current position.  
  
Spike and Buffy walked in closing the door behind them.  
  
"Erin remember the imformation you found about the first?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yea what about it?" She questioned.  
  
"Well, we think we've figured it out. It's like a compass. The four of us all fit the prophecy. Two tainted demons and two white warriors, all whom share a connection. Spike is your blood relative so that is your connection to him, you're a slayer so that is your connection to me, and Angel bit you while he was Angelus, that is your connection to him. I have been bitten by both of them, and Angel sired Spike's sire. It all checks out." Buffy explained.  
  
"Well that's great, but how is this going to help us defeat the first?" Angel asked.  
  
Buffy place the book that she carried on the bed and showed them the page that Giles had been reading from. "The four of us stand in a circle, but we stand like a compass, North, South, East, West. If we cut both of our hands then join them together so that our blood then flows together, we will all gain more power than the first ever imagined we could."   
  
"Alright well when can be do this?" Erin asked.  
  
"Whenever you're ready." Buffy said.  
  
"Get Willow and Tara up here and we'll do it now." Erin said after looking at Angel whom nodded that he was ready.  
  
Spike and Buffy turned leaving the two alone.  
  
"Erin, this is going to be dangerous." Angel said looking into her eyes. "I don't want to lose you."  
  
"You won't I promise. There will be a tomorrow." Erin responded leaning in and kissing him tenderly on the lips. In the pit of her stomach however she felt as if she had just lied.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
~*~ Sorry this is a short one, however the next one will be longer and soon I promise. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review. ~*~ 


	32. Until the End Pt 1

~*~ This is the 2nd to last chapter! After more than year of writing, this story has come to an end. Anyway there's gonna be drama, and death, and of course the lovey dovey stuff that we all love! LoL. I will be taking things from the finale, however.... it will be different!!! This may spawn a sequel as well... so I hope you enjoy!!! REVIEW!!!!!!!! ~*~  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Buffy, Spike, Angel, and Erin stood there stunned. They had never felt as much power as they did now. They knew what they had to do.  
  
"Buffy and Spike, you guys should go to the hellmouth with most of the team. Erin and Angel will go to the vineyard with Tara, since that seems to be a source of power of the First." Giles explained.  
  
Spike looked over at his niece. He didn't know if he'd see her again. He pulled her into a huge hug, and not soon after Angel and Buffy had done the same. Breaking apart the group smile at each other. "So shopping tomorrow right?" Buffy said to Dawn whom was standing near by.   
  
"Sounds good. I need more shoes." Dawn replied.  
  
Everyone said their semi farewells and heading into their groups. Everyone went with Spike and Buffy while Erin, Angel and Tara were alone.  
  
Spike turned and looked towards the moon. "It's on now." He mumbled.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The three were in a football fields distance from the vinyard when they came upon a group of bringers. Apparently Tara could fight now that she was back temporarily, because she went into battle mode fast. "Guys I'm going in." Erin said to the two. "You got everything under control out here?"   
  
"Erin wait you can't go in alone." Angel exclaimed while taking on two bringers.   
  
"I have to." She responded.  
  
Pulling away from the bringers, Angel grabbed her arm and held her there. "I won't let you go in there, it's too dangerous. I love you and I won't let you."  
  
'Its the hardest thing I'll ever have to do  
  
To turn around and walk away pretending I don't love you.'  
  
Erin swallowed hard. She felt a lump in the pit of her stomach but she knew what she had to do. "Well, I don't love you." She said pulling away and dashing into the vineyard.  
  
Angel had no time to react. He was immediately attacked by the two bringers he had brushed off to talk to her. He saw her figured getting smaller into the distance and enter the vineyard.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Willow are you sure you're ready for this?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yeah, I just hope Tara's almost ready." The Wiccan replied.  
  
They all had gathered into the school and made their way down to the basement. Spike and Buffy stood at the seal, both with a knife in hand. Everyone had been set up in their positions. Buffy and Spike proceeded to make a slice in their hands and let their blood drip onto the seal. Glowing, the seal began to open. It was time.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Entering the building, an eerie feeling came over Erin. Shaking it off she descended the stairs to see Caleb standing there as if he knew she was coming.  
  
"I've been expecting you." He said. "Although I thought it would be Buffy coming."  
  
"Sorry to dissapoint." Erin spat back.  
  
"On the contrary it's quite a privilege to be facing the descendent of a vampire. You see, the evil, it's in your blood; you've just been brainwashed by the slayer and her little friends. The power of the dark side is stronger than you can comprehend. You should never under estimate it." Caleb explained.  
  
"Okay Darth. So are we just going to stand here as you try to turn me to the dark side or can we skip ahead to the fight and the victorious end for the Jedi?" Erin smirked at him, not wavering in thought at all.  
  
"You're a smart ass one aren't you?" Caleb said retoricly. "Very well." Leaping into the air he went to kick Erin in the face, however she grabbed his leg in mid-air and pulled him down to a landing thud on the floor. Picking himself up off the floor, he recieved a blow to the right cheek and a sweep bringing him to the ground again.  
  
"Guess the force is with me." Erin quipped smiling down at the First's right hand man. Pulling out her sword of her near by bag she turned around to see him lunging at her again. She took the sword and heaved it into his stomach, then pulling in out.  
  
"Ouch." He said, eyes rolling back and falling to the ground.  
  
"That was easy." She muttered to herself. Then she saw it. It was knife like the one that Faith had drawn after she saw a Mayor or whoever it was. This was different though. This was slightly larger and looked like there was diamond mixed in with the alloys of the knife. Putting her sword down, she picked it up and examined it. Getting what she came for her turned to run out of the building when it was knocked out of her hand and hit towards the front wall.  
  
"You didn't think it would be that easy." Caleb responded.  
  
"Erin!" She looked up at the stairs where the voice had come. Angel came bounding down the stairs.  
  
"Take it and run!" Erin yelled at him.  
  
"No I'm not leaving you." Angel responded angrily.  
  
"There's no time just take it and go!!" She ordered.  
  
Angel not wanting to risk whatever her wrath would be later grabbed the knife and bounded back up the stairs.  
  
"Bad idea." Caleb said grabbing her sword and swinging at her slicing her right ankle pretty deeply as she jumped up onto a barrel to avoid a blow. Caleb broke the barrel and she fell hard onto her ankle. "No way out now." He said.  
  
Looking up at her surrounds, Erin desperatly looked for something she could use. She saw the barrel had been full of alcohol. Looking up she say a fire lit that rested in a notch in a post. With her good leg she kicked the post causing it to crack and fall. The alcohol quickly set on fire around Caleb and on him. He began screeching. Erin sighed from the pain she was feeling and laid back, satisfied with her work.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Angel and Tara saw smoke coming out of the vinyard house door. "Erin!" Angel screamed. He moved to run but Tara grabbed his arm. "You'll just get yourself killed. We need you. Run, go to the school, I've got things covered here."  
  
Without glances back at the painful sight, Angel set off into the night.  
  
Tara said a quick spell and shoved the knife into the ground. The ground rumbled like an earthquake had just slammed Sunnydale. It was working.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
~*~ I had to split the chapter into two parts. Enjoy... ~*~ 


	33. Until the End Pt 2

"We need to get in there, destroy the first where it's corporeal and get the hell out of there." Buffy said. The ground began to shake and Willow quickly began her spell to hold the hellmouth open.  
  
Buffy and Spike jumped into the hellmouth, followed by Xander, Giles, Wesley, Oz, Faith, and Riley.  
  
"Boy I missed this." Riley mumbled to himself.  
  
"You won't in a few minutes." Spike responded. Riley looked at him strange. "Vampire hearing."  
  
The group hear someone jump down behind them, turning they saw Angel. The look in his eyes said everything.  
  
"Oh my God." Spike said, tears beginning to fall.  
  
"Spike, we'll cry later, right now I wanna kick this things ass." Angel responded.  
  
Suddenly the group was surrounded by their worst enemies and fears. Buffy went after hers, the Master. Faith the Mayor, Riley, Oz, and Xander took on Adam, Spike took Harmony and then saw the figure that walked up behind her, Dru. Giles and Wesley took care of Warren seeing as he was the least dangerous when he was alive. Angel however looked for the one he had a personal vedetta with, the one whom only a few years ago, tried to get him to kill himself. He turned and saw it. He would never forget the face that had mocked him into trying to commit suicide.  
  
"Just like old times huh?" The first said in the face of Jenny Calender. "Aww are you sad about your girl? Too bad Caleb was lost in that fire. He was like my good right hand."  
  
Angel pulled out the sword that he had used against Buffy not too long after he killed Jenny. He looked up at the first and smiled. Quickly he moved and sliced off the had of the first. "Guess you lost both right hands now." Angel quipped.  
  
Morphing into the face of Buffy, the First began attacking Angel. He saw different demons rushing passed him to get out but he couldn't worry about them. "You should've stayed dead, you'd be with your girl now if you were." The Buffy/First said.  
  
Hatred gleamed in Angels eyes as he pulled back and sliced through he first. The face of surprise on it quickly disapeared as the upper half of the body fell down into the pit below. "Those extra powers really worked." Angel said to himself. It was like his reflexes were a million times better.  
  
"EVERYONE RUN!" Angel yelled.  
  
The gang turned and looked seeing that the first really was gone. One by one everyone was pulled back up into the basement only to see the number of Tura kans, vampires, and demons they had left to fight.  
  
Willow saw Angel finally get pulled up. That was the last one. She stopped her spell and everyone watched as the sealed closed and disappeared.  
  
One by one the rest of the demons fell. Dawn, Cordelia, and Anya had become a good team and were doing fairly well. The potentials weren't doing as bad as they thought they would either. A blonde potential named Meghan stood her ground and fought with the bodies of other potentials by her feet. Connor was nearby and was fighting like his father. Bodies of demons were around him. Buffy smiled, proud of how well some of them were doing. She saw April get cut and continue to fight on.  
  
Finally everything was gone, it was done. Tara suddenly appeared. "I must go now. You've done well." She turned towards Willow. "You were brave and strong. That's the girl I fell in love with." Turning towards Oz. "Take care of her."   
  
"I will." He said putting his arm around her.   
  
The figure of Tara faded, and the casualties were added up. A number of potentials fell in the line of duty, but all of Buffy's friends had survived. All but one. The group walked outside the school and sat down on the benches. "Well, we survived another appocolypse." Buffy stated.  
  
"Maybe the world isn't doomed after all." Giles said smiling putting his arm around Buffy.  
  
"Did I say how glad I am that you came back?" She asked quietly.  
  
"Of course you did." Giles responded.  
  
Getting up Buffy walked over to Spike had already begun crying. She pulled him into a hug and didn't let go. "I love you Spike." He replied weakly but with feeling. "I love you Buffy. I didn't lose you this time." Buffy smiled slightly. "I'm not going anywhere again."  
  
Angel seperated himself from the group, tears running down his face as well. He kept running what she had said to him. 'I don't love you.' The words cut deep and replayed over and over again in his mind. He heard the quiet sound of a radio one of the potentials had found to listen to as they rested.  
  
'Would have given up my life for you  
  
Guess it's true what they say about love  
  
It's blind  
  
Girl you lied straight to my face  
  
Looking in my eyes  
  
And I believed you cause I love you more than life  
  
And all you had to do was appologize  
  
You didn't say your sorry  
  
I don't understand  
  
You don't care that you hurt me  
  
And now I'm half the man  
  
That I used to be   
  
When it was you and me  
  
You didn't love me enough  
  
My may never mend  
  
And you'll never get to love me, again.   
  
Angel put his head in his hands and let himself cry. He had opened himself up to love again and had been completely burned. "Hey, you alright?" He heard. Looking up he saw a genuine sorroful face of Xander. "I'll be fine." Angel said. With that Xander walked over and began talking to Riley. Resting his head back into his hands he allowed the tears to flow again.  
  
'Sadness has me at the end of the line  
  
Helpless watched you break this heart of mine.'  
  
"Looks like I missed the party, any cake left?" Everyone turned to see who spoke. Angel lifted his head from his hands. 'It can't be.' Angel thought. He sat staring. The figure limped closer to the group. "So I'm assuming we won."  
  
Spike pulled away from Buffy and in a split second flung himself at the figure. "You're alive!" He exclaimed.  
  
"Of course I am. I won't be if-you-don't-let-me-breathe." Erin said.  
  
"Oh right." Spike said pulling away.  
  
"How are you not dead?" Anya asked.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The flames had completely engulfed Caleb and were heading her way. Knowing she had to get out of there she looked for an exit. She turned and saw a small window at the top of the wall. Crawling, Erin made her way and pushed herself up. Using her elbow she broke the glass of the window and pulled herself. Hobbling she quickly made her way away from the building when it suddenly exploded, sending her flying.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"I just got out before the flames engulfed me like they did Caleb." Erin responded.  
  
Everyone walked up and had a group hug with Erin. Everyone that is, but Angel who still sat in the same spot. When the group pulled away she looked over at him. Taking a deep breath she walked towards him. He stood up as if to walk away from her. Erin however rushed towards him and pulled him into a kiss. Enjoying it for a second Angel pulled away. "You don't love me remember?" He pushed her away.  
  
"I had to do what I had to do to get in there Angel. Even if it involves lying to the person that I love." She responded.  
  
"Am I supposed to believe this? Do you really think I'm that stupid? I saw the way you played my son." Angel said raising his voice. Everyone turned and stared, especially Connor when he heard the mention of him.  
  
"I understand." She replied. "I'll just head out." And she began hobbling away. Everyone watched as she walked out of the courtyard and out of site.  
  
"Are you bloody insane?" Spike exclaimed walking over to his grandsire. "She's the best thing that happened to you since Buffy and you're letting her walk away."  
  
"That's one of the dumbest things you've ever done dead boy and there have been a few of them." Xander added.  
  
"She told me she didn't love me." Angel responded.  
  
"And you believed her? You know how many times I told Spike that?" Buffy walked over to her ex boyfriend. "Angel you left me so I could have a normal life, but what about you? Don't you deserve to have a life thats normal or something like it?"  
  
Angel looked at the girl whom he thought would never be replaced. He looked at Spike who smiled slightly at him, and then, he took off.  
  
Buffy smiled as Spike wrapped her in his embrace.   
  
"Buffy." Rileys voice came from behind. Buffy turned around to look at another ex. "I'm gonna head out."  
  
"Thank you for coming. We couldn't have done it without you." Buffy said as the two hugged.  
  
Riley looked at Spike and put out his hand. Spike took it a shook up. "Take care of her."  
  
"I will mate." Spike replied.  
  
"Riley wait." Buffy said causing him to turn around. "I just want you to know that, that night, I was there, I came to stop you. I was screaming at the top of my lungs but you couldn't hear me over the hellicopter."  
  
"It was all for the best. We both found someone we loved." Riley responded.  
  
"Tell Sam I said hi." Buffy said as she watched him walk away.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Running on a bad ankle was hard and after getting about 100 feet away from the high school, Erin collapsed from the pain both emotionally and physically. Tears streamed down her dirtied face leaving streaks where the ashes from the fire had been. She clutched her stomach with one hand and her ankle with the other. 'How could I be so stupid. I just ruined my life.' She thought.   
  
Suddenly she heard footsteps. Looking up she saw a figure running towards her. She blinked her eyes few times to clear her vision blurred by the tears.  
  
"Erin!" Angel yelled.  
  
She tried to stand up but was unsuccessful. Angel sat down next to her. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He said wiping away a stray tear that was gliding down her cheek.  
  
"I'm the one that should be saying they're sorry I should never have told you that I didn't love you. I do love you." She said appologizing again.  
  
"I'm sorry for not believing you." He looked down at her ankle. "Why did you leave like this." He said looking at how bad it was. Helping her up he let her lean on him for support. He leaned in and placed a light kiss on her lips at first then letting the kiss become more passionate.   
  
They didn't let go of each other, even when they heard clapping from behind them. Still wrapped in Angel's arms she turned and the two looked at the entire group that was standing there. Angel looked down at her. Then up at the group. He swept her up into his arms and walked towards them.  
  
"Lets go home." Buffy said to everyone as they walked towards the Summers house.  
  
Back at the school Tara stood watching the group walk away. "You're already home."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
~*~ Alright well this is almost the end. There is an epilogue coming up and I do plan on a sequel. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~*~ 


	34. Epilogue : Feels Like Home

~*~ Thanks for the reviews everyone. I will definately be starting a sequel soon but please allow me atleast a week to gather my thoughts before I begin.~*~  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Dawn get up!" A voice said waking the sleeping teen. Yawning she slowly opened her eyes to see Xander standing above her. "It's Wedding day!" He exclaimed smiling and then leaving the room.  
  
She looked over at the dress hanging in her open closet and smiled. Rubbing her eyes she got up and headed into the shower. Realizing what time it was she hurried and slipped into her dress. She went downstairs and joined the rest of the girls who were doing their makeup and hair.   
  
"Hi Dawnie." Buffy said hugging her sister. "You excited?"  
  
"Of course!" Dawn replied, sitting down at the table with the rest of them.  
  
The front door opened and closed followed by footsteps walking towards the kitchen. The door opened and everyone smiled. "Hey guys." Erin said who was followed by Angel.  
  
The two exchanged hugs with everyone. Angel embraced Buffy. "You look beautiful." He turned and looked at Willow, Cordelia, Anya, and Dawn. "You all look beautiful."  
  
"I better go get ready. There was a lot of traffic coming from L.A." Erin stated, heading out the kitchen and up the stairs.  
  
"Don't you look all handsome in your tux Angel." Willow said laughing.  
  
"Anyway, go hang out with the guys. Just don't let them come in, especially the groom, he's been trying to get in to see." Cordelia said smiling.  
  
Angel smiled and immediately went into the backyard.  
  
"Alright I'm ready." Erin said rushing in.  
  
"That was fast." Buffy said.  
  
"Well I did my hair and makeup in the car." She replied.  
  
"Are you ready?" Giles voice came from behind them.   
  
"Yeah I think we are." Buffy said looking around at everyone.  
  
"Lets get this show on the road then." Giles said smiling.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Walking down the aisle went better than expected. There were very little tears shed. The guests however were, well, quite colorful.  
  
He stood there staring at her with those piercing blue eyes of his.   
  
Smiling she turned and looked at the man walking her down the aisle. The man who had been a father to her throughout much of her life. Stopping at the end, he lifted her veil and kissed her on the cheek.  
  
Taking the hand of her husband-to-be, she stepped up and looked the one officiating the wedding.  
  
Clearing his throat, Clem began. "Dearly beloved we are gathered here today in celebration of the union of Buffy Anne Summers and William "Spike" Winthrop."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The ceremony went quickly. After the two started the first dance, everyone joined the pair on the floor. The best man, Angel skipped dancing with the Maid of Honor, Dawn, and danced with one of the bridesmaids, Erin.  
  
'Somethin' in your eyes, makes me wanna lose myself  
  
Makes me wanna lose myself, in your arms  
  
There's somethin' in your voice, makes my heart beat fast  
  
Hope this feeling lasts, the rest of my life  
  
If you knew how lonely my life has been  
  
And how long I've been so alone  
  
And if you knew how I wanted someone to come along  
  
And change my life the way you've done  
  
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me  
  
It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from  
  
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me  
  
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong '  
  
Buffy gazed into Spikes eyes and had a huge smile on her face. Angel looked over at her and the two locked eyes. He smiled. Everything was right now.  
  
Xander and Cordelia were holding each other close, Giles and Anya were dancing, much to Giles dismay. Willow and Oz were completely enthralled with each other, while Dawn danced with a boy she invited from school.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
It was time for the throwing of the bouquet. Turning around, Buffy threw it into the group of girls. Everyone watched Willow come up with it and walk over to Oz throwing her arms around him.  
  
Buffy and Spike headed away for the Honeymoon. Everyone stood holding the ones they loved.  
  
'A window breaks, down a long, dark street  
  
And a siren wails in the night  
  
But I'm alright, 'cause I have you here with me  
  
And I can almost see, through the dark there is light  
  
Well, if you knew how much this moment means to me  
  
And how long I've waited for your touch  
  
And if you knew how happy you are making me  
  
I never thought that I'd love anyone so much  
  
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me  
  
It feels like I'm all the way the back where I come from  
  
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me  
  
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong  
  
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong '  
  
As the two started exiting no one seemed to notice the two glowing figures in the corner of the Summers' garden. Joyce and Tara stood watching. The looked at each other and smiled. "Everything's gonna be okay now." Joyce said.   
  
"Yeah, everythings gonna be fine." Tara replied, and with that the two vanished.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
~*~ I know this is a short epilogue but I wanted to make it meaningful. There will be a sequel, don't worry, I promise! It will be awesome.! The song used in the last chapter by the way was Justin Timberlake "Never Again" and the one used in this chapter was Chantal Kreviazuk "Feels Like Home". Please review!!!!!~*~ 


End file.
